| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year community college; campus-based, with some business, legal and computer programs fully online |
| Campus | 1, at 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM; its Trades and Advanced Technology Center houses the School of Trades, Advanced Technologies and Sustainability and the welding program |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS, AA, AS, AAA) and certificates |
| Programs | 59 on the college’s program list |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission since 1988; February 2024 review ended in Continue Accreditation; next reaffirmation 2029-30 |
| 2025-26 tuition | $54 per credit in-district, $67 other New Mexico residents, $158 out of state (7+ credits), plus $25.50 per credit in fees; 2026-27 rates not yet published |
| Students | 4,604 in fall 2025 (1,820 full-time equivalent) |
| Trades building | Trades and Advanced Technology Center, opened 2011, LEED Platinum since 2015 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Santa Fe Community College and its trades building
Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) is a public two-year college in Santa Fe, New Mexico, offering associate degrees and certificates on one campus on Richards Avenue, with some programs fully online. It had 4,604 students in fall 2025, or 1,820 full-time equivalent, according to the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s census report.
The Trades and Advanced Technology Center (TATC) is a building on that campus, not a separate school. Santa Fe County voters approved $7.5 million in bonds for it, and a second $4.2 million bond went to voters in November 2008 to finish construction. It opened in 2011 and was certified LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2015. It houses SFCC’s School of Trades, Advanced Technologies and Sustainability; every degree and certificate is awarded by SFCC.
Programs at SFCC, and how they are taught
The college lists 59 programs. The table covers the main career programs; all are on the Santa Fe campus unless marked online. Paralegal Studies, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources and the Computer and Information Technologies AAS are taught online, Automotive Technology is hybrid, and the trades and health programs are in person. Welding is taught in the TATC; Automotive uses the separate Automotive Technologies Center.
| Program | Credential | Length / schedule | Delivery and where | Prepares for / accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welding | Welding Technologies AAS; Welding Certificate | AAS on a 2-year map | In person, Trades and Advanced Technology Center | Training to American Welding Society standards |
| HVAC and Plumbing Technologies | Certificate (new in 2025) | 2 semesters; fall-start cohort; evening classes | In person, HVAC and Plumbing Training Lab | No licence exam named |
| Electrical Technology | Certificate (new in 2025) | – | In person | Residential and commercial wiring; no apprenticeship named |
| Construction and Home Remodel Building | Certificate (new in 2025); Architectural Construction Design Certificate | – | In person | – |
| Building Environmental Technology | AAS | 2-year map in 8-week classes | In person | Building maintenance jobs |
| Automotive Technology | AAS (internal combustion or electric vehicle track); 9 certificates | AAS on a 2-year map | Hybrid; Automotive Technologies Center | ASE Education Foundation accredited through Feb 2028 |
| Fine Woodworking | Certificate; Arts and Design/Woodworking AAA | AAA on a 2-year map | In person, woodworking studios | – |
| Nursing (RN) | AAS in Nursing | Selective entry, fall and spring starts | In person | NCLEX-RN; ACEN accredited |
| Dental Assisting | Certificate; also EFDA, CDHC and Dental Health AAS | 10 months (certificate) | In person | DANB exams; CODA accredited |
| Paramedicine | Certificate or AAS | – | In person, with local fire and EMS departments | NREMT; CAAHEP accredited |
| EMT-Basic and Advanced EMT | Certificates | – | In person | NREMT; New Mexico licensure |
| Medical Assisting | AAS; certificate | – | Santa Fe campus | CAAHEP accredited (MAERB) |
| Respiratory Care | AAS | – | Santa Fe campus | CoARC accredited |
| Phlebotomy | Certificate | 1 semester (16 weeks) | In person | ASCP exam eligibility |
| Massage Therapy | Certificate; AAS | – | In person | MBLEx; New Mexico licensure |
| Culinary Arts and Patisserie | Culinary Arts AAS; Culinary Arts, Culinary Fundamentals and Patisserie certificates | – | In person, commercial kitchens | Not ACF accredited |
| Paralegal Studies | AAS; three certificates | – | Fully online | ABA approval not mentioned |
| Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources | AA, AAS and certificates | – | Online | – |
| Computer and Information Technologies | AAS | – | Fully online | – |
| Network Security, Hardware and Software, Web Development | Certificates | – | On campus or blended | – |
In March 2025 the college added three building-trades certificates: HVAC and Plumbing, Electrical Technician (now Electrical Technology) and Building and Home Remodel (now Construction and Home Remodel Building). The TATC also has labs for controlled-environment agriculture, water and green building.
What the main programs cover
Nursing (RN)
The AAS in Nursing leads to the NCLEX-RN and holds ACEN continuing accreditation, with full New Mexico Board of Nursing approval until 31 May 2030. Unlike most SFCC programs, admission is competitive. Students apply through NursingCAS, between 1 January and 1 March for a fall start or 1 August and 1 October for spring, and must take the HESI admission exam; the next sittings are 5-8 January and 8-11 February 2027. Graduates who want a bachelor’s degree can continue into a BSN offered with the University of New Mexico on the SFCC campus.
Welding
Welding is the trades program the college places in the TATC itself. Students choose between the Welding Certificate and the Welding Technologies AAS, which the college maps over two years, and train in that building. SFCC says instruction follows American Welding Society standards. Its program page does not name a particular AWS certification test, so students aiming for a specific code certification should ask which tests can be taken during the program and at what cost.
HVAC and Plumbing Technologies
This certificate, introduced in 2025, combines heating, ventilation and air conditioning with plumbing in a single two-semester program. It runs as a cohort that starts each fall, with evening classes, and practical work takes place in the college’s HVAC and Plumbing Training Lab. The program page mentions industry internships and employment assistance. It does not name an EPA 608 refrigerant exam or a New Mexico journeyman licence, so students aiming for licensed work should check the state’s requirements before they enroll.
Automotive Technology
The Automotive Technology AAS is mapped over two years and has two tracks: internal combustion, or an Electric Vehicle Technology certificate track. Nine stand-alone certificates cover automatic transmission and transaxle, engine repair, heating and air conditioning, internal combustion technology, steering and suspension, brakes, electric vehicles, maintenance and light repair, and manual transmission and drive train. Courses are hybrid, mixing online and on-campus work in the Automotive Technologies Center. ASE Education Foundation accreditation runs through February 2028.
Paramedicine
Paramedic students earn a certificate or an AAS in a program accredited by CAAHEP on CoAEMSP’s recommendation. Clinical and field training are carried out with local fire and EMS departments, and some EMS courses meet at Santa Fe fire stations. Program retention was 100% in 2024, up from 39.4% in 2021. The college also offers an 8-week Critical Care Paramedic continuing-education course for working paramedics preparing for the FP-C or CCP-C exams.
Dental Assisting
The Certificate in Dental Assisting takes 10 months. CODA accredits it, and the college reports the status as approval without reporting requirements; CODA made a site visit on 20-21 November 2025. Students prepare for DANB’s Radiation Health and Safety, Infection Control and General Chairside exams. Graduates can go on to Advanced Dental Assisting Skills, Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary or Community Dental Health Coordinator certificates, the last two approved by the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care, or to the AAS in Dental Health.
Tuition and fees (2025-26 rates)
SFCC had not published 2026-27 tuition when we checked in October 2026, so these are the 2025-26 rates. Tuition depends on where you live. “In-district” means living in the college’s taxing district, which matches the Santa Fe Public Schools district (Santa Fe, Glorieta, Madrid, Cerrillos, Lamy, La Cienega, Galisteo and Tesuque), not the whole of Santa Fe County. Tuition is flat from 12 to 18 credits.
| 2025-26, per credit hour | Tuition | 12 to 18 credits (flat) |
|---|---|---|
| In-district (lives in the Santa Fe Public Schools taxing district) | $54 | $648 |
| Other New Mexico residents | $67 | $804 |
| Out of state, 6 or fewer credits | $67 | – |
| Out of state, 7 or more credits | $158 | $1,896 |
| Required fees, all students (service $12, technology $12, student activities $1.50) | $25.50 | – |
At these rates, an in-district student taking 12 credits in each of two terms pays $1,296 in tuition and $612 in required fees, about $1,908 for the year. A New Mexico resident from outside the district pays $1,608 in tuition, about $2,220 with fees. Course, lab and program fees vary by class and are extra. Other charges include a $15 payment-plan set-up fee and a $100-a-semester fitness facility fee.
Open admission, with selective nursing
SFCC is an open-admission community college, but some programs have their own entry steps. Nursing is selective, with NursingCAS application windows and the HESI exam. HVAC and Plumbing runs as a fall-start cohort with evening classes. Many programs use 8-week classes, including the Building Environmental Technology degree.
Accreditation and results
SFCC has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 26 August 1988. Its 2019-20 reaffirmation came with monitoring; a comprehensive evaluation in February 2024 ended in Continue Accreditation, and the next reaffirmation is scheduled for 2029-30. HLC lists no current sanction.
Programmatic accreditation on the college’s list includes ACEN for nursing; CODA for dental assisting; CAAHEP for paramedic (CoAEMSP) and medical assisting (MAERB); the ASE Education Foundation for automotive, through February 2028; and CoARC for respiratory care. The New Mexico Board of Nursing approves the nursing program through 31 May 2030.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing AAS, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 95.8% | 2025, college nursing page |
| Nursing AAS, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 100% | 2024, college nursing page |
| Nursing AAS, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 92.85% | 2023, college nursing page |
| Paramedic, NREMT cognitive exam pass rate | 100% | 2024 graduates, CoAEMSP outcomes on the college’s paramedicine page |
| Paramedic, positive placement (job or further study) | 100% | 2024 graduates, same source |
| EMT-Basic, NREMT pass rate | 92% | 2017-2020 graduates, college EMT page |
Before you enroll
- The lowest tuition rate is for the Santa Fe Public Schools taxing district, not all of Santa Fe County. Other New Mexico residents pay $67 per credit, and out-of-state students taking seven or more credits pay $158 (2025-26).
- Nursing is not open admission. You need to apply through NursingCAS within fixed windows and take the HESI exam.
- The HVAC and Plumbing and Electrical Technology certificates are new (2025), and their program pages name no apprenticeship or New Mexico licence path. Plumbing is part of the combined HVAC certificate, not a stand-alone program.
- Fine Woodworking trains furniture makers in a studio setting. It is not a carpentry or cabinetmaking program.
- The college does not say its online Paralegal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association.
One campus, plus training sites
All on-campus programs are taught at 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87508. Within the campus, the TATC houses welding and the sustainability labs, the Automotive Technologies Center houses automotive, culinary uses commercial kitchens and woodworking uses studios. The Higher Learning Commission also lists four other sites in Santa Fe: the Higher Learning Center at 1950 Siringo Road, where students can earn bachelor’s degrees from five New Mexico colleges, two fire stations used for EMS and fire training, and the Santa Fe Indian School for dual-credit classes.
Child care, internships and field training
The Kids Campus child-care center on the main campus is accredited by NAEYC. The HVAC and Plumbing program offers industry internships and employment assistance, and paramedic students train with local fire and EMS departments.
Sources
Checked October 2026: SFCC programs · Trades and Advanced Technology Center · Tuition and fees · SFCC accreditation · Higher Learning Commission record · Nursing program · Paramedicine program · New Mexico HED enrollment report
Programs & Courses
Building Trades
- HVAC and Plumbing Technologies (certificate)
- Electrical Technology (certificate)
- Construction and Home Remodel Building (certificate)
- Architectural Construction Design (certificate)
- Building Environmental Technology (AAS)
- Adobe Construction
Welding and Automotive
- Welding Technologies (AAS) and Welding (certificate)
- Automotive Technology (AAS), including Electric Vehicle Technology
- Automotive certificates (brakes, engine repair, transmissions and more)
Sustainability, Agriculture and Engineering
- Controlled Environment Agriculture
- Algae Cultivation
- Water and Wastewater Operations
- Sustainable Technologies
- Engineering Technologies
- Engineering Machining Technology
Fine Woodworking
- Fine Woodworking (certificate)
- Arts and Design/Woodworking (AAA)
Nursing and Health
- Nursing (AAS, RN)
- Nursing Assistant (certificate)
- Dental Assisting (certificate)
- Dental Health (AAS)
- Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary
- Community Dental Health Coordinator
- Medical Assisting (AAS and certificate)
- Phlebotomy (certificate)
- Massage Therapy (certificate and AAS)
- Respiratory Care (AAS)
Emergency Medical Services
- Emergency Medical Technician-Basic
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)
- Paramedicine (certificate and AAS)
- Critical Care Paramedic (continuing education)
Business (online)
- Business Administration (AA, AAS, certificate; accounting concentration available)
- Entrepreneurship (certificate)
- Human Resources (certificate)
Paralegal and Legal Office (online)
- Paralegal Studies (AAS and certificate)
- Law Office Administrative Assistant (certificate)
- Legal Secretary (certificate)
Computer Science and Information Technology
- Computer and Information Technologies (AAS, online)
- Computer and Network Security (certificate)
- Computer Hardware and Software (certificate)
- Web Development (certificate)
- Computer Science (AS, transfer)
Culinary Arts
- Culinary Arts (AAS, with a patisserie option)
- Culinary Arts (certificate)
- Culinary Fundamentals (certificate)
- Patisserie (certificate)
Other programs on the college's list
- Criminal Justice
- Early Childhood Education
- Psychology
- Film and Media Arts
- ASL and Interpreter Preparation
- Teacher Education
Campus Locations
Santa Fe, NM 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87508