| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS); campus classes, with some courses online |
| Locations | Seven sites with classes listed here (BRCC also lists a New Roads site), all in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana: Mid City (main campus), Acadian, Ardendale, Frazier, Central, Port Allen and Jackson. BRCC also teaches at about 60 other locations, mostly high schools, school-board offices and prisons |
| Credentials | Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Associate of Science in Nursing, transfer degrees (AA, AS, AALT, ASLT), technical diplomas, certificates (CTS, CTC, CAS) and non-credit workforce courses |
| Typical length | One semester (Sterile Processing) to three semesters (most technical diplomas) and five or six semesters (nursing, sonography, aviation maintenance) |
| Enrollment | 11,402 students in fall 2025, including a record 2,722 first-year students (BRCC) |
| Accreditation | Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC), associate degrees; last reaffirmed 2019, next reaffirmation 2029 |
| Federal aid | Yes; 88% of full-time beginning students received aid in 2023-24 (College Navigator) |
| Tuition | $138.96 per credit hour for in-state and out-of-state students (fee schedule effective 1 August 2025) |
| Facts checked | 8 October 2026 |
A public college with trade programs spread across Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge Community College is a public two-year college in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, accredited since 2004. It merged with Capital Area Technical College, a change its accreditor approved, and its career programs are spread across separate sites: welding, HVAC and practical nursing at Acadian, vehicle trades at Ardendale, aviation maintenance at Central and cosmetology at Frazier, with the health degrees and transfer courses at the Mid City main campus. BRCC enrolled 11,402 students in fall 2025, 1.4% fewer than a year earlier, though its first-year class of 2,722 was a record. Recent additions are a plumbing apprenticeship with PHCC of Louisiana (classes from January 2026) and the Capital City Construction Lab at Mid City, opened in August 2026.
Career programs at BRCC’s sites
BRCC lists about 60 credit programs: transfer degrees, applied associate degrees, technical diplomas and certificates. Most technical diplomas have shorter certificate exits built in, so a student can stop after one or two semesters with a credential and later extend the diploma into a Technical Studies AAS. The table covers the main career programs from BRCC’s program pages (October 2026); a dash means the source gave no figure.
| Program | Credential (credits) | Length and entry | Where | Accreditation | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | Associate of Science in Nursing, 72 | Five semesters; selective, apply in September | Mid City | ACEN | NCLEX-RN |
| Practical Nursing | Technical diploma, 59 | Five semesters; one class a year, starting in fall | Acadian | None claimed | NCLEX-PN |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AAS, 62 | Six semesters; about 15 seats; apply 2 Sep–31 Oct | Mid City | CAAHEP | ARDMS exams |
| Surgical Technology | AS, after 30 prerequisite credits | About 12 or 18 months after prerequisites; January start | Mid City | CAAHEP | CST (NBSTSA) |
| Veterinary Technology | AAS, 72 | Five semesters; one application window a year | Mid City | Not stated on the program page | VTNE |
| Medical Assistant | CTS, 24 | Clinical or coding and insurance pathway | Acadian, Jackson | None claimed | CCMA; or CCA and CPC-A |
| Sterile Processing | CTC, 6 (180 hours) | One semester | Mid City | – | CBSPD CSPDT |
| Phlebotomy | Non-credit, 75 hours | Seven weeks | Acadian | – | NHA CPT |
| Aviation Maintenance Technology | AAS, 70; Airframe and Powerplant CTS, 32 each | Six semesters for the AAS | Central | – | FAA A&P exams |
| HVAC/R | Technical diploma, 45; certificates of 12 and 24 | Three semesters | Acadian | HVAC Excellence | – |
| Electrical | Technical diploma, 45 (NCCER Levels 1–4) | Three semesters | Acadian | – | NCCER certification |
| Welding | Technical diploma, 45; certificates of 7 and 24 | Three semesters | Acadian, Port Allen, Jackson | – | AWS Entry-Level Welder |
| Carpentry | Technical diploma, 45; certificate of 15 | Three semesters | Ask BRCC | – | – |
| Plumbing Apprenticeship | Non-credit | 222 classroom hours plus 3,500 paid work hours | Acadian; Mid City lab | – | Residential test (BRCC’s wording) |
| Automotive, Diesel Heavy Truck, Auto Body Repair | Technical diplomas; Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies AAS | – | Ardendale | – | – |
| Process Technology | AAS | – | Central | – | – |
| Cosmetology | Technical diploma, 45 (1,500 hours) | Four semesters | Frazier | – | Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology exam |
| Culinary Arts; Drafting and Design | Technical diplomas | – | Acadian | – | – |
| Computing and Information Systems (cybersecurity, software development, cloud) | AAS, 60 | Four semesters | Mid City | – | – |
| Computer Networking | CTS, 30 | Two semesters | Mid City; Acadian | – | TestOut certifications |
| Paralegal Studies | AAS, 60 | Nine legal credits must be live classes | Mid City | – | – |
| Construction Management | AAS | – | Mid City, Acadian | – | – |
| Business Administration; Accounting | AAS and CAS; Accounting Technology and Enrolled Agent CTS | – | Mid City | – | – |
Alongside the credit programs, BRCC’s Workforce Solutions division runs a large non-credit catalog, including nursing assistant, phlebotomy, CDL, forklift, crane and heavy equipment courses; BRCC ran its first electric vehicle technician course in July 2026. Criminal Justice, Computer Science and American Sign Language Studies are offered as transfer degrees only.
What the main programs cover
Registered nursing (ASN)
Getting into the ASN is a two-stage process. Applicants first complete 16 credits of prerequisite courses, and the GPA on those courses (2.8 at minimum) is weighed with a TEAS score of 65% or higher. The application is paper only, mailed in during a three-week window in September (4 to 25 September in 2026), and a background check follows. Admitted students then spend five semesters in the Nursing and Allied Health building at Mid City. BRCC’s nursing menu also lists an LPN to RN entry track; ask the department how it works.
Practical nursing
The Practical Nursing diploma admits one class a year, in fall, at Acadian. Before applying, students take two pre-nursing courses, HNUR 1214 and HNUR 1225, and must score at least 80% in each; they also need an ACT, Accuplacer or TEAS result. The program then runs five semesters and prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN; practical nurse licensing in Louisiana is handled by the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. A background check and drug screen are part of admission, and the program page claims no programmatic accreditation.
Diagnostic medical sonography
Sonography students study in room 105C of the Nursing and Allied Health building at Mid City for six semesters. The curriculum is built around the three ARDMS registry exams it names: abdomen, OB/GYN, and sonography principles and instrumentation (SPI). The cohort is small, about 15 students, and applicants need a 2.75 GPA and a TEAS score of at least 65%, applying in the autumn window. The program page publishes graduation, registry and job results for each cohort from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
Surgical technology
Surgical Technology begins with a 30-credit block of prerequisites, and the grades in SURT 1021 and SURT 1023 count toward selection along with a 3.0 GPA and the TEAS. Admitted students start in January and choose a Fast Track of three semesters or a Traditional track of four. Either track includes two semesters of hospital practicum, and the number of seats depends on how many clinical sites are available. The advising packet once calls the award an Associate of Applied Science, though BRCC’s program list calls it an AS.
Veterinary technology
Veterinary Technology is a full-time, five-semester program based in the Cypress Building at Mid City. From the third semester on, students take Clinical Externships I, II and III, worth 10 credits in all, so the second half of the program combines classes with clinical externship work. Admission is selective and runs on a single yearly window; anyone who missed the 2026 cycle next applies between March and May 2027. Graduates take the national VTNE.
Aviation maintenance
Aviation Maintenance Technology is taught over six semesters, with the hands-on classes at the Central site. Students can take the full 70-credit AAS or the separate Airframe and Powerplant certificates, and BRCC adds an A&P preparation course. A score of at least 70% is required in every aviation maintenance course. Besides teaching toward the FAA written exams, BRCC offers the FAA oral and practical exams. BRCC’s pages do not say whether the school holds an FAA Part 147 certificate.
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 and how students pay
BRCC’s posted fee schedule took effect on 1 August 2025 and was still the current schedule in October 2026; check with BRCC for 2026-27 rates before enrolling.
- Tuition: $138.96 per credit hour, on campus or online.
- Full-time, 12 credits a semester: $1,667.52 tuition plus $422 in mandatory fees and $120 in student government and athletic fees, for $2,209.52 on campus. Online students also pay a $40 online registration fee ($2,249.52).
- Same rate for everyone: Louisiana has no in-district rate, and BRCC dropped its non-resident fees in June 2020, so out-of-state students pay the same as Louisiana residents.
The Louisiana Board of Regents’ 2026-27 tuition comparison puts BRCC’s average annual resident tuition and fees at $5,439 for a student taking 15 credits a semester, close to the 2025-26 schedule. Some programs add their own costs: Surgical Technology lists a $257 CST exam fee, and the Plumbing Apprenticeship costs $1,500 in total. On BRCC’s spring 2023 non-credit schedule, nursing assistant training was $1,500, phlebotomy $1,500 and the medical billing and coding course $5,500.
BRCC takes federal financial aid, and 88% of full-time first-time students received aid in 2023-24, according to College Navigator. The college has a Veteran Affairs office for students using military education benefits.
Admissions, starts and schedules
BRCC is open admission. Selective programs have their own applications, prerequisites and start dates:
- Nursing ASN: 2.8 GPA on 16 prerequisite credits, TEAS 65% or higher, background check; applications by mail only, 4 to 25 September in 2026.
- Practical Nursing: entrance test, pre-nursing courses at 80% or higher, background check and drug screen; one class each fall.
- Sonography: 2.75 GPA and TEAS 65% or higher; applications 2 September to 31 October.
- Surgical Technology: 3.0 GPA on the prerequisite block and TEAS 65% or higher; January start.
- Veterinary Technology: one window a year, next 1 March to 28 May 2027.
- Sterile Processing: department approval, drug screen and background check.
Credit programs run on semesters, and the program pages give semester-by-semester course sequences rather than class times. The plumbing apprenticeship combines classroom hours at Acadian with paid work for a plumbing employer.
Accreditation and results
BRCC is accredited to award associate degrees by the Commission on Colleges and Universities, the new name (from 1 September 2026) of SACSCOC. It became a candidate in December 2002 and has been accredited since 1 January 2004. Its accreditation was last reaffirmed in 2019, the next reaffirmation is due in 2029, and the commission lists no public sanctions.
Program accreditors: ACEN for the Nursing ASN (continuing accreditation with conditions removed; next visit fall 2031), CAAHEP for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Surgical Technology, and HVAC Excellence for the HVAC/R program.
Published results by program:
| Program | Result | Cohort and source |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing ASN | NCLEX-RN pass rate 78.63% (2025), 83.84% (2024), 91.78% (2023) | By year; BRCC nursing pass-rate report, 9 March 2026 |
| Practical Nursing | NCLEX-PN: 19 of 21 passed (90.48%) | 2025; Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | Registry exam 13 of 14 passed (93%); 14 of 14 employed (100%); 14 of 15 admitted graduated | 2024-25 cohort; BRCC program page |
| Veterinary Technology | VTNE first-time pass rate 69.23%, 26 candidates | 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025; BRCC program page |
We found no published pass or job-placement rates for Surgical Technology, Aviation Maintenance, Cosmetology, HVAC, Welding or Paralegal Studies. College-wide, 31% of full-time students who started in fall 2021 graduated within 150% of normal time and another 9% transferred out, according to College Navigator (IPEDS).
Before you enroll
- BRCC’s NCLEX-RN pass rate has fallen two years running, from 91.78% in 2023 to 78.63% in 2025, by the college’s own report. ACEN has removed the conditions it had placed on the program, but applicants should ask what has changed in the curriculum and support since the 2025 results.
- The college is open admission, but most health programs are not. Nursing took mailed applications for three weeks in September 2026, Veterinary Technology has one window a year (next 1 March to 28 May 2027), Sonography has about 15 seats, and Surgical Technology seats depend on clinical sites. Plan for prerequisites and a possible wait.
- Several programs are non-credit Workforce Solutions courses, not college certificates: phlebotomy, the standalone billing and coding course, nursing assistant and the plumbing apprenticeship. Their prices differ from credit tuition, the health-course prices we found date from spring 2023, phlebotomy does not guarantee an externship, and the plumbing apprenticeship needs a sponsoring employer for its 3,500 work hours.
- Some BRCC degrees are transfer degrees that do not by themselves train for a job: Criminal Justice (AS and AALT), Computer Science (AS) and American Sign Language Studies (AA), which includes interpreting courses but makes no claim to prepare students for interpreter certification. The Pharmacy Technician certificate is no longer in BRCC’s credit program list, and BRCC does not appear on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy’s list of approved technician training programs.
- Ask about accreditation where BRCC’s pages are silent: the Veterinary Technology page does not state its AVMA status, the aviation pages do not mention an FAA Part 147 certificate, and the Paralegal page does not claim ABA approval.
Externships, placements and career help
Several credit programs build work experience into the course: Surgical Technology includes a two-semester hospital practicum, Veterinary Technology has three clinical externships, and the clinical Medical Assistant pathway includes a two-credit externship. The plumbing apprenticeship places students with journeyman plumbers through PHCC of Louisiana, and all 14 sonography graduates of 2024-25 found jobs. BRCC also runs a Career Center.
What students say
On Niche, Baton Rouge Community College averages 3.62 out of 5 from 404 reviews (checked 8 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise supportive, caring instructors and small classes, the low cost and the choice of evening and online classes, and help such as tutoring, career events and a food pantry. The most common complaints are slow or unresponsive financial aid and administrative offices, limited course choice and activities, and teaching quality that varies from one instructor to another. The three reviews Niche shows first are all five-star, which is not typical of the full set.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026: BRCC programs and courses · BRCC tuition and fees · Commission on Colleges and Universities record · BRCC Nursing ASN · BRCC Diagnostic Medical Sonography · College Navigator · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health
- Nursing (Associate of Science in Nursing, RN; Mid City)
- Practical Nursing (technical diploma; Acadian)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AAS; Mid City)
- Surgical Technology (AS; Mid City)
- Medical Assistant (CTS: clinical or coding and insurance pathway; Acadian, Jackson)
- Sterile Processing (CTC; Mid City)
- Phlebotomy Technician (non-credit; Acadian)
- Medical Billing and Coding (non-credit course; also the Medical Assistant coding pathway)
Veterinary
- Veterinary Technology (AAS; Mid City)
Aviation and Process Technology (Central)
- Aviation Maintenance Technology (AAS)
- Airframe and Powerplant (CTS each)
- Process Technology (AAS)
- Nondestructive Testing
Automotive (Ardendale)
- Automotive Technician (technical diploma)
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (AAS)
- Auto Body Repair Technician (technical diploma)
- Diesel Heavy Truck Technician (technical diploma)
Construction and Industrial Trades
- HVAC/R Technician (technical diploma and certificates; Acadian)
- Electrical, NCCER Level 4 (technical diploma and certificates; Acadian)
- Welding (technical diploma and certificates; Acadian, Port Allen, Jackson)
- Carpentry (technical diploma and certificate)
- Millwright, Pipefitting and Instrumentation, NCCER Level 4 (technical diplomas)
- Plumbing Apprenticeship (non-credit, with PHCC of Louisiana)
- Construction Management (AAS)
- Drafting and Design Technician (technical diploma; Acadian)
- Horticulture Technician (technical diploma)
Cosmetology and Culinary
- Cosmetology (technical diploma; Frazier)
- Culinary Arts and Occupations (technical diploma; Acadian)
Business and Law
- Business Administration (AAS, CAS)
- Accounting Technology (CTS)
- Enrolled Agent (CTS)
- Paralegal Studies (AAS)
- Criminal Justice (AS and AALT, transfer only)
Computing and Design
- Computing and Information Systems: Application Software Development, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity (AAS)
- Computer Networking (CTS)
- Computer Science (AS, transfer)
- Web Design (CTC)
- Graphic Arts (CTS)
Education and Liberal Arts
- Care and Development of Young Children (AAS; Acadian)
- American Sign Language Studies (AA)
- Film and New Media Production; Music Studio Production (CTCs)
Campus Locations
Baton Rouge, LA 201 Community College Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Baton Rouge, LA 3250 N. Acadian Thruway E., Baton Rouge, LA 70805
Baton Rouge, LA 2115 North Lobdell, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Baton Rouge, LA 555 Julia Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Baton Rouge (Central), LA 10700 Hooper Road, Central, LA 70818
Baton Rouge (Port Allen), LA 3233 Rosedale Road, Port Allen, LA 70767
Jackson, LA 3337 Highway 10 East, Jackson, LA 70748