North Seattle College | Field Guide 2021

Over its rich, 52-year history, North Seattle College has solidified itself as one of the top transfer colleges in Washington and continually evolves to meet regional industry needs — including by offering six bachelor’s degrees and 60-plus professional-technical degrees and certificates that lead to competitive careers for our graduates.

With affordable and accessible programs, North Seattle College is primed to help people of all ages and backgrounds thrive with better jobs and new opportunities. Strong academic preparation and advising services, small classes, an innovative integrated studies program, broad e-learning options, and partnerships with four-year schools contribute to our students’ success.

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Key Facts

Highest Enrolled Programs

Academic Transfer
Allied Health
Nursing
Emergency Medical Technician
Early Childhood Education
Accounting

Enrollment

Headcount (all sources): 13,742
FTES (all sources): 4,240
Headcount (state-funded): 9,103
FTES (state-funded): 3,405

Students in Selected Programs

Applied bachelor's: 374
Apprentices: 57
I-BEST: 252
International: 639
Running Start: 696
Worker Retraining: 542

Student Profile

Type of Student

Academic/transfer: 30%
Basic skills: 11%
Other: 18%
Workforce education: 41%

Race/Ethnicity*

American Indian/Alaska Native: 3%
Asian: 20%
Black/African American: 13%
Hispanic/Latino: 12%
Pacific Islander: 1%
Other race: 4%
White: 60%

Attendance

Full-time: 28%
Part-time: 72%

Family and Finances

Students receiving need-based financial aid: 24%
Students who work: 57%
Students with children: 33%

Gender

Female: 63%
Male: 37%

Median age

Points of Interest

TRIO Student Support Services

North Seattle College is now offering TRIO Student Support Services (SSS). North received a federal TRIO SSS grant from the United States Department of Education to help more students succeed and graduate from college. North also received the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant to increase the number of underrepresented Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) students entering and successfully completing STEM degrees and transferring to four-year university STEM programs.

The TRIO program operates out of the Equity and Welcome Center through the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and will have a specific focus on supporting students of color, including creating a mentoring program for BIPOC men/male-identified students. Students participating in this program will also receive wraparound services including connection to transfer resources, scholarships, navigation support, tutoring and more.

Strong transfer programs

While many graduates have continued their studies at such colleges as Dartmouth and UC Berkeley, most North students transfer to the University of Washington. In fact, North consistently ranks among the highest of all community colleges in the number of students who are accepted to the University of Washington Seattle.

The strength of North’s transfer programs comes from our faculty’s dedication to student learning. Small class sizes and a small campus allow students to develop individual relationships with faculty and staff.

Northgate Light Rail and Pedestrian Bridge

The new Northgate Light Rail and Pedestrian Bridge will make it easier for students to get to North Seattle College. The bridge will span from the northeast corner of the North Seattle College campus and will connect to the Northgate Link Light Rail station. The light rail and bridge are scheduled to open in fall 2021, and the college celebrates this new connection to the community and increased access for students.

Data is from the 2019-20 academic year. Reflects headcount unless otherwise noted.

*May not add up to 100% because students may be counted in more than one race. Percentages calculated on reported value.