South Seattle College | Field Guide 2022

Founded in 1969, South Seattle College is located on an 87-acre hilltop campus in West Seattle with panoramic views of the city skyline and surrounding mountains. South serves students with diverse needs to meet their educational and career goals, whether they are just starting their higher education, looking to advance their careers, or trying a new direction. We also offer apprenticeship training at our Georgetown campus. With our affordable and accessible programs, South Seattle College helps people of every age and background thrive in today’s economy.

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Key Facts

Highest Enrolled Programs

College transfer programs
Apprenticeship programs
Basic and Transitional Studies programs
Aviation Maintenance Technology
Welding Fabrication Technology
Automotive Technology

Enrollment

Headcount (all sources): 9,793
FTES (all sources): 4,083
Headcount (state-funded): 8,257
FTES (state-funded): 3,264

Students in Selected Programs

Applied bachelor's: 122
Apprentices: 3,397
I-BEST: 212
International: 331
Running Start: 511
Worker Retraining: 333

Student Profile

Type of Student

Academic/transfer: 29%
Basic skills: 7%
Other: 14%
Workforce education: 50%

Race/Ethnicity*

American Indian/Alaska Native: 3%
Asian: 21%
Black/African American: 17%
Hispanic/Latino: 12%
Pacific Islander: 2%
White: 54%

Attendance

Full-time: 35%
Part-time: 65%

Family and Finances

Students receiving need-based financial aid: 28%
Students with children: 40%

Gender

Female: 38%
Male: 62%

Median age

Points of Interest

Programs to support regional workforce needs

South Seattle College (SSC) offers a wide range of programs that prepare students for careers or continued education at a university. Pre-college and ESL programs give students a jumpstart into college and the workforce, while professional-technical programs train students for our region’s most in-demand careers. These include careers in aviation, automotive, diesel maintenance, welding, nursing, landscape horticulture, culinary arts and wine studies. SSC also trains thousands of apprentices each year in over 40 different trades.

Wellness Center opening

SSC’s Wellness Center will open to the campus community in winter quarter 2022, bringing a modern and spacious dedicated space for health and wellness to the college. Highlights of the center include weightlifting and cardio spaces, an indoor gym/basketball court, lockers, and a yoga room.

SSC awarded AANAPISI designation

SSC has once again been awarded the US Department of Education Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) designation. The college will receive a five-year $1.5 million federal grant as part of that designation to strengthen student onboarding and retention experiences to support our Asian American and Indigenous Pacific Islander students. SSC was one of the six inaugural colleges to receive this designation in 2008 and was active in supporting AANAPISIs to be a continuing designation with funding from US Department of Education.

Data is from the 2020-21 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.