West Valley College

14000 Fruitvale Ave
Saratoga, CA 95070

West Valley College is a public community college whose primary purpose is to facilitate successful learning. It is committed to the education of the individual along with fostering the economic development of the communities it serves. West Valley College provides students with opportunities to participate in a wide spectrum of educational experiences designed to fulfill their academic and career needs. Encouraged to seek knowledge and wisdom as lifelong learners, our students are motivated to expand their human potential, enrich the quality of their lives, and develop the job skills and other competencies necessary to function in contemporary society.

School Highlights

West Valley College serves 7,823 students (33% of students are full-time).

The college's student:teacher ratio of 33:1 is lower than the state community college average of 45:1.

Minority enrollment is 63% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Asian), which is less than the state average of 75%.

The teacher population of 235 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.

	West Valley College	(CA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification	Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional	Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Institution Level	At least 2 but less than 4 years	At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control	Public	Public
Total Faculty	235 staff	149 staff

The student population of West Valley College has declined by 13% over five years.

The student:teacher ratio of 33:1 has decreased from 35:1 over five years.

The West Valley College diversity score of 0.74 is more than the state average of 0.73. The school's diversity has grown by 12% over five years.

Total Enrollment	7,823 students	8,598 students

Student : Teacher Ratio	33:1	45:1

# Full-Time Students	2,614 students	2,015 students

# Part-Time Students	5,209 students	6,583 students


% American Indian/Alaskan	1%	1%

% Asian	22%	12%

% Hispanic	25%	43%

% Black	2%	7%

% White	37%	25%

% Two or more races	6%	4%

% Non Resident races	6%	4%

% Unknown races	1%	4%

Diversity Score	0.74	0.73

College Completion Rate	32%	31%

Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)	$37,700	$34,600

The public in-state tuition of $1,186 is less than the state average of $1,458. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.

The public out-state tuition of $4,978 is less than the state average of $6,710. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.

In-State Tuition Fees	$1,186	$1,458

Out-State Tuition Fees	$4,978	$6,710

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid	64%	76%

Median Debt for Graduates (Year 2007)	$3,500	$6,625
Median Debt for Dropouts	$6,750	$5,751

Source: 2019 (or latest year available) IPEDS

West Valley College is a public California Community College located on the west side of Silicon Valley, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, 50 miles south of San Francisco. Continuing a nearly 40 year tradition, West Valley College offers 18 dynamic career programs, professional certificates, and degree programs with exceptional preparation for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Flexible course options including online and distance learning combined with many levels of support such as financial assistance, educational planning, personal counseling, child care and learning skills programs provide every student the opportunity for the highest academic and personal success. West Valley College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Post-secondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.

The nearest community college to West Valley College is De Anza College (4.1 miles away).