South Puget Sound Community College
- As a comprehensive, open door community college, South Puget Sound Community College is committed to providing quality educational opportunities to meet the intellectual, academic, vocational, career, personal, and developmental education needs of its students and members of the community.
School Highlights
- South Puget Sound Community College serves 4,881 students (57% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 35:1 is higher than the state community college average of 31:1.
- Minority enrollment is 33% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Asian), which is less than the state average of 41%.
- South Puget Sound Community College is the only community colleges within Thurston County, WA.
- The nearest community college to South Puget Sound Community College is Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom (19.6 miles away).
Top Placements
South Puget Sound Community College places among the top 20% of community colleges in Washington for:
- Category Attribute
- Debt For Students Least debt for graduating students
School Overview
- The teacher population of 138 teachers has declined by 23% over five years.
| South Puget Sound Community College | (WA) Community College Avg. | |
| Institution Level | At least 2 but less than 4 years | Four or more years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 138 staff | 145 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 4,881 students | 4,463 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 35:1 | 31:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 2,799 students | 2,353 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 2,082 students | 2,110 students |
 |  | |
| % American Indian/Alaskan | 1% | 1% |
| % Asian | 5% | 7% |
| % Hispanic | 7% | 10% |
| % Black | 1% | 4% |
| % White | 67% | 59% |
| % Hawaiian | 1% | 1% |
| % Two or more races | 7% | 5% |
| % Non Resident races | 1% | 6% |
| % Unknown races | 9% | 7% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.53 | 0.62 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 27% | 31% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $34,500 | $36,200 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- South Puget Sound Community College is a public two-year college. With more than 5,000 full-and part-time students, we are the largest college in the South Puget Sound area. Our main campus is nestled in a beautiful wooded area a few minutes away from the state capitol in Olympia, Washington. We also offer classes at our Hawks Prairie Center in Lacey and in Yelm. Founded in 1962 as Olympia Vocational Technical Institute Renamed Olympia Technical Community College in 1976 Mission expanded to become a fully comprehensive community college in 1980 Renamed South Puget Sound Community College in 1984 Established the Hawks Prairie Center in Lacey in 1995. The college offer occupational training for gaining the skills and knowledge you need for direct employment or career advancement in business and industry. Associate of Technical Arts degrees and/or certificates of completion are offered in a variety of areas. South Puget Sound Community College awards degrees of Associate of Arts, Associate Degree in Nursing, Associate of General Studies, and Associate of Technical Arts. Certificates are awarded for successful completion of vocational-technical programs. High school diplomas and the GED high school equivalency are also offered. The college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. We offer college transfer, technical and enrichment courses.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to South Puget Sound Community College is Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom (19.6 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- 5,927 students | 19.60 Mi9401 Farwest Dr SW
Lakewood, WA 98498
(253)964-6500 19.605,927 - Centralia CollegePublic3,317 students | 21.50 Mi600 Centralia College Blvd.
Centralia, WA 98531
(360)736-9391 21.503,317 - 3,682 students | 22.80 Mi4500 Steilacoom Blvd SW
Lakewood, WA 98499
(253)589-5800 22.803,682 - Tacoma Community CollegePublic7,189 students | 24.20 Mi6501 S 19th St
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253)566-5000 24.207,189 - Everest College-TacomaPrivate, for profit795 students | 27.50 Mi2156 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98402
(253)207-4000 27.50795
Recent Articles
The Online Education Initiative will greatly expand course offerings for community college students, while making the transfer process between institutions much more smooth. The Initiative has its critics, however, who decry the loss of local control over education.
A recent study reveals that job applicants with a credential or associate’s degree from a community college have slightly better chances of getting a job interview than students who attend a for-profit college or university. Since community colleges are much more budget friendly than for-profit institutions and have much better job placement results, community colleges are a much better option for employment-minded students.
After City College of San Francisco loses its accreditation, other community colleges in the state are facing warnings, sanctions and possible loss of accreditation as well.
