It has satellite campuses in Waldron, Wickes, Oden, and Mount Ida that serve Polk, Scott, and Montgomery counties.

[2] UARM was founded in 1973 as the Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School, where it would serve as an affiliate of the Arkansas Department of Vocational Education.

[3] In 1983, the school was merged with Henderson State University's off-campus program to form Rich Mountain Community College, as part of the establishment of the Polk County community college district.

[4] In 1990, it was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools following 6 years in candidate status and was re-accredited in 2005 with the North Central Association noting it was a "model rural community college".

[4][5] The forty-acre main campus in Mena includes the new Machine Tool Maintenance Building, St. John's Library, the KRMN-LP 101.1 FM radio station, and the RMCC TV broadcasting studio among the various classroom and administrative offices.