Pierce College Puyallup | Field Guide 2022

Pierce College logo Pierce College Puyallup is part of the Pierce College District, a community college district serving more than 13,000 students annually. Founded in 1967, the college now offers 26 associate degrees, 52 professional certificates and six applied bachelor's degrees designed to prepare students for academic transfer and career success. By offering affordable and accessible programs, Pierce College Puyallup helps people of every age and background to learn and thrive in today’s economy. Whether students are 16 or 60, just out of high school or working adults, our college prepares them for the next step up in life. As a community college that serves a large number of lower-income students and students of color, our college is key to creating a stronger and more inclusive economy.

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Key Facts

Highest Enrolled Programs

Academic Transfer AA
Biology DTA/MRP*
Business DTA/MRP
Nursing AAS and
Pre-Nursing DTA/MRP
Science Transfer AS

*Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program

Enrollment

Headcount (all sources): 13,520
FTES (all sources): 7,502
Headcount (state-funded): 8,991
FTES (state-funded): 3,982

Students in Selected Programs

Applied bachelor's: 252
I-BEST: 112
International: 227
Running Start: 2,268
Worker Retraining: 194

Student Profile

Type of Student

Academic/transfer: 58%
Basic skills: 6%
Other: 12%
Workforce education: 23%

Race/Ethnicity*

American Indian/Alaska Native: 4%
Asian: 15%
Black/African American: 15%
Hispanic/Latino: 20%
Pacific Islander: 4%
White: 67%

Attendance

Full-time: 57%
Part-time: 43%

Family and Finances

Students receiving need-based financial aid: 37%
Students with dependents: 39%

Gender

Female: 65%
Male: 35%

Median age

Points of Interest

Expanding access to STEM education

Pierce College is expanding access to STEM education in Puyallup, with a special focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, to address the growing demands of these industries. Our new STEM-focused academic building is slated to begin construction in May 2022, featuring interactive lab space with viewing areas designed to allow audiences to view projects and experiments in action, sparking curiosity and interest in high-demand STEM professions.

Nursing students well prepared for demanding careers

Pierce College Puyallup’s nursing program provides equitable opportunities for students to respond to the racial diversity needs of the healthcare sector. The program has been ranked as one of the top nursing programs in the state, ranked No. 1 by RNCareers.org, and No. 2 by RegisteredNursing.org. In 2020, the college also launched a new part-time LPN to RN program, allowing working LPNs to earn their registered nursing credentials on a part-time basis over five quarters. This is one of the few programs of its kind in the state, allowing busy, working LPNs to continue their nursing education on a part-time basis in the evenings and on weekends.

Top 10 community college in the nation since 2017

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program has once again named Pierce College one of the 10 best community colleges in the nation as part of the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Pierce College has earned this recognition in large part due to our commitment to mission fulfillment and dismantling barriers to student achievement. As we continue our work in closing equity gaps, we are proud to share that we are now eligible to compete for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Data is from the 2020-21 academic year. Reflects headcount unless otherwise noted. Data is for the Pierce College District.

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