Seattle Central College | 2023-25 Budget Requests

Since 1966, Seattle Central College has served students from Seattle and greater King County. As Seattle’s first community college, Seattle Central grew into a thriving center for higher education in the heart of Washington’s largest city. Since its founding, this college has been the epicenter of social activism, when Seattle’s African and Asian American communities fought for a comprehensive college. Seattle Central is an equity-focused college that makes higher education possible for underrepresented and underserved communities and actively works to close achievement gaps. Our perspective is global, with the nation’s sixth-largest community college international program teaching about 1,000 students from around the world.

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Meet Camila Christensen

Camila was supposed to be a mother, a housekeeper or a secretary, but certainly not building apps, creating games or graduating from Seattle Central’s computer science program. A São Paulo native, Camila’s story is like many working-class families in Brazil — no matter how hard a family works, upward mobility is unlikely and traditional gender roles strictly confine Brazilian women to female-gendered occupations. But in 2017, Camila crossed the immigration line to start a new life in Seattle and hasn’t looked back. “When I discovered Computer Science at Central, I said ‘that’s not only for boys, girls can do it too!’”

Legislative Priority: Expand Opportunity for Students and Employers

Fully funding our budget requests will have real returns for students like Camila Christensen and for the communities and employers in our area. Students will learn from competitively-paid experts who choose to work at Seattle Central College rather than pursue higher paying positions with private employers or K-12 schools. Our students will train for careers in robust workforce programs, with modern equipment and learning spaces that mirror their future work environments. We will be able to expand technology to bring a college education to more people in more ways. And, all our students will benefit from an inclusive environment where they are valued, supported and equipped to reach their goals. Seattle Central College will also receive funding to operate and maintain existing facilities and to design and build both its Broadway Achievement Center and its Welcome Center and Edison Technical modernization.

Our Students

Total headcount: 10,178
Total full-time equivalent (FTE): 4,782
Full-time: 48%
Part-time: 52%
Students of color: 70%

Operating Budget Estimate

If the system’s operating budget request of $353 million is fully funded, the Seattle Colleges will receive approximately $19.6 million in additional funding.

Capital Budget Estimate

If the system’s request is fully funded, Seattle Central College will receive approximately $9,257,300 for operation, maintenance, infrastructure, repairs and minor improvements of its existing facilities, $31,995,000 in state funds and $3,000,000 in local funds for design and construction of the Broadway Achievement Center, and $45,233,000 for design and construction of the Welcome Center and Edison Technical modernization.