Mesa Community College (MCC) is part of the Maricopa County Community College District, but students experience it through two distinct Mesa campuses: the older, full-service Southern and Dobson campus in central Mesa and Red Mountain in the northeast. MCC began in 1963 as a Phoenix College extension with 330 students; it became a separate college in 1965 and moved to Southern and Dobson the next year. Red Mountain opened in 2001. The college now serves more than 25,500 learners annually, with transfer study, career training, certificates and selected bachelor’s-level options across the district.
Choose a credential before choosing a schedule
MCC’s catalog includes associate degrees designed for university transfer, applied degrees aimed at employment, certificates, workforce training and courses taken for personal enrichment. A transfer-oriented Associate in Science requires at least 60 semester credits, but the minimum varies by emphasis. Sixty credits is a planning reference, not a guarantee that every student finishes in two calendar years: prerequisite placement, course sequence, part-time enrollment, transfer credit and selective-program admission can extend the path. Health programs illustrate the difference. Dental Hygiene at Red Mountain publishes a four-semester professional sequence after prerequisites, a separate application, GPA thresholds and additional clinical study; its full plan includes 96–111.5 credits, counting prerequisites.
The two campuses share MCC’s catalog, yet not every course or service is offered at both sites. Southern and Dobson is the broadest base for advising, general education, applied technology, English classes, athletics and arts. Red Mountain has its own enrollment services and a stronger concentration in health sciences, life sciences and outdoor teaching. Check the current class schedule and program map before you pay or arrange transportation.
Admission is open, but the next step depends on your background
MCC’s published open-admission qualifications include graduation from an accredited or state-approved high school, a diploma or GED-equivalent, being at least 18 with evidence of readiness, or transferring in good standing from another college. High-school students use concurrent or dual-enrollment routes; younger applicants who do not meet the usual pathway are handled through special admission. International students seeking an F-1 visa follow a separate process, including document, English-proficiency and financial-support requirements. Admission to MCC does not guarantee a place in a selective cohort such as nursing or dental hygiene.
For a standard application, begin with MCC’s online enrollment steps, create the student account, submit identification and complete the tasks shown in the Student Center. Placement can draw on high-school GPA, ACT, SAT, GED, ACCUPLACER or EdReady, depending on the subject and a student’s record. New students are directed to orientation and a navigator before they build a first-semester plan. Start with the official enrollment checklist, then confirm any program-specific application and deadline with the department.
What tuition costs in 2026–27
The Maricopa district’s 2026–27 schedule lists $97 per lower-division credit for Arizona residents classified at the in-county rate and $145.50 per upper-division credit. Residents of Arizona counties other than Apache and Greenlee qualify for the in-county rate through reciprocal agreements. The listed rate for an out-of-state student who lives in Arizona is $372 per lower-division credit; the out-of-county rate applies to the limited Apache and Greenlee cases without an approved affidavit. Eligible Western Undergraduate Exchange students pay 150 percent of resident tuition. Add the $15 registration charge each semester and any class-specific lab, clinical, technology or program fee. A 15-credit lower-division term at the base in-county rate is $1,455 in tuition before those additions; books, equipment, housing and transportation are separate. Check the district’s current rate table against your residency classification.
FAFSA, scholarships and other ways to pay
Federal aid starts with the FAFSA, and MCC says it must have an admission record to receive the student’s FAFSA data. Eligible students may be considered for grants, work-study, loans and scholarship aid; eligibility depends on federal rules, the credential and satisfactory academic progress. MCC Foundation scholarships are listed in the Maricopa scholarship manager. The college states that a FAFSA and verified lawful presence are not requirements for most of those foundation awards, although each award has its own criteria. That makes scholarship applications worth reviewing even for students who do not expect to qualify for federal aid. See MCC’s scholarship options and use the college’s aid office to check how an award could affect other assistance.
English classes can lead toward college-level study
MCC’s English Language Program serves students whose primary language is not English. Credit-bearing ESL courses progress through four levels and cover reading and writing, grammar, listening and speaking, pronunciation and English for jobs. The CELSA placement test is free for applicants to a Maricopa college, takes about 45 minutes and gives a recommended ESL level; other approved placement measures may also be considered. Conversation Circles provide free practice in a weekly campus gathering. Students who complete the Applied English Language Skills certificate can document professional and academic English on an MCC transcript; the published plan requires 21–27 credits and is eligible for financial aid. International F-1 applicants should contact International Education because visa admission and the regular ESL placement route are different processes. Review the English Language Program before choosing a level or term.
Two Mesa campuses, two different daily routines
Southern and Dobson, at 1833 West Southern Avenue, opened as MCC’s permanent home in 1966. The campus map shows enrollment and financial-aid offices, tutoring, counseling, disability resources, the Paul A. Elsner Library, Thunderbird Café, a fitness center and gymnasium, sports fields, a planetarium, performing-arts spaces and the Rose Garden. It lies near Dobson Road, Southern Avenue and U.S. 60. Valley Metro buses run along the main roads, and MCC’s map marks nearby stops; confirm current service and the best entrance for your class before travelling.
Red Mountain, at 7110 East McKellips Road, offers a smaller campus setting among Sonoran Desert habitats and outdoor teaching areas. Its Mesquite building contains admissions, advising, financial aid, registration, testing, career support and disability services; the campus map also marks a fitness center, café, student lounge, library and labs. Parking is available on campus subject to MCC’s posted rules. The college says Valley Metro no longer stops inside Red Mountain and identifies a nearby Route 184 stop by the Acacia Village parking area. Routes change, so check the current trip planner and allow time to walk to the correct building.
Where to begin
For transfer study or a broad first-semester plan, start with Southern and Dobson. For health sciences, dental hygiene and classes that use the desert campus, review Red Mountain and confirm clinical or partner-site locations. MCC’s public history connects a small extension campus to a large East Valley college; the practical choice today comes down to the credential, the exact class location and the costs that apply to your residency. Before registering, use the two official campus profiles below to check each address, directions, map and services.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus
1833 West Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85202
At 1833 West Southern Avenue, the Southern and Dobson campus is Mesa Community College’s original location and its broadest in-person base. The enrollment center, advising, admissions and records, cashier, financial aid, testing, career services and student-care resources are spread across a large c
MCC’s original and broadest Mesa campus combines transfer study, career programs, advising, aid, tutoring, athletics, a planetarium, a campus fitness center and an extensive public arboretum.
Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus
7110 East McKellips Road, Mesa, AZ 85207
Red Mountain sits at 7110 East McKellips Road on 98 acres in northeast Mesa. MCC opened the campus in 2001, and its layout feels different from the older Southern and Dobson site: buildings stand among desert plantings, outdoor teaching areas and a central wetland laboratory. The college describes t
Red Mountain is a compact East Mesa campus where health-science study, dental hygiene, nursing-assistant training and the Sonoran Desert ecology shape a distinctive learning setting.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus campus image ↗
Primary source
Richard N Horne / Wikimedia Commons · Accessed October 26, 2026
Photograph by Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0; resized and converted to WebP. Credit and license: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mesa_Community_College,_Mesa_Arizona.jpg
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus campus image ↗
Primary source
Richard N Horne / Wikimedia Commons · Accessed October 26, 2026
Photograph by Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0; resized and converted to WebP. Credit and license: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mesa_Community_College_Red_Mountain_Campus,_Mesa,_Arizona.jpg
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Maricopa Community Colleges · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Mesa Community College · Accessed October 26, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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CC BY-SA 4.0 license ↗
Primary source
Creative Commons · Accessed October 26, 2026
Attribution and share-alike terms for the two Commons campus photographs, adapted to WebP.
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Mesa Community College — Southern and Dobson Campus exact Google Maps listing ↗
Secondary source
Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing inspected directly on 2026-10-26; rating and review count stored as research evidence, not guide copy.
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Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus exact Google Maps listing ↗
Secondary source
Google Maps · Accessed October 26, 2026
Exact campus listing inspected directly on 2026-10-26; rating and review count stored as research evidence, not guide copy.