Pierce College Fort Steilacoom | Field Guide 2026
Julie A. White, PhD
Matthew A. Campbell, EdD
- Lisa Boyd, chair
- Lauren Adler, vice chair
- Clemencia Castro-Woolery
- Bryce McKibben
1967
Pierce County
28, 29
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is part of the Pierce College District, a community college district serving nearly 14,000 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 Fort Steilacoom 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.
Key Facts
- Associate in Arts - DTA
- Nursing ADN & Pre-Nursing DTA/MRP
- Business DTA/MRP
- Associate in Science - DTA
- Biology DTA/MRP
- Headcount (all sources): 13,749
- FTES (all sources): 7,729
- Headcount (state-funded): 8,811
- FTES (state-funded): 4,024
- Bachelor's: 194
- I-BEST: 33
- International: 303
- Running Start: 2,739
- Worker Retraining: 179
Student Profile
- Academic/transfer: 64%
- Basic skills: 6%
- Workforce education: 18%
- Other: 11%
Students of color: 51%
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 4%
- Asian: 15%
- Black/African American: 17%
- Hispanic/Latino: 20%
- Pacific Islander: 4%
- White: 56%
- Full-time: 59%
- Part-time: 41%
- Students receiving need-based financial aid: 43%
- Students with dependents: 33%
- Female: 7,759
- Male: 4,695
- X: 83
- Not reported: 1,212
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Points of Interest
The Pierce College District welcomes students at all stages of their educational journey, providing pathways for economic and social mobility to thrive in a rapidly changing demographic, economic, and technological environment. Informed by our data and inspired by our vision, Pierce College is dedicated to dismantling structural policies and practices that create inequities. Only by doing so can we build a college community where all can belong, advance, and thrive.
Pierce College now offers annual registration district-wide, which allows students to enroll for a full academic year. This change supports students balancing school with work, caregiving, and other responsibilities. Annual registration makes academic scheduling more predictable and transparent, which provides students with greater accessibility in pursuing their academic goals and balancing other obligations.
Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) delivers university transfer and professional-technical pathways to military-affiliated students with flexible policies to help them succeed. Since 2015, our use of open educational resources has saved students more than $3 million. The college is also a leader in the Military College Transition Program (MCTP), a partnership between community and technical colleges, state agencies, and the armed forces, offering transitioning service members education to prepare for Washington’s most in-demand industries.
Data is from the 2024-25 academic year. Reflects headcount unless otherwise noted. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
*Students of color percent based on unduplicated headcount. Students may be counted in more than one race, so race/ethnicity percentages may not total 100%. Percentages calculated on reported value.
**Excluding Running Start.
