
A community college located in Olympia in Washington, South Puget Sound Community college is a 125 acres school that serves around 7,000 students each year. The college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities thereby ensuring that the quality of education taught in SPSCC meets beyond the standard.
South Puget Sound Community College has two campuses. The main campus in Olympia is surrounded with tranquil and lush woods which make it a perfect setting, conducive for learning while the Lacey Campus is located near residential areas providing access to local students.
There are a variety of academic programs in South Puget Sound Community and aside from the associate degrees and certificates, the school also teaches technical courses, non-credit programs, workshops and employee retraining courses. For this Academic Year (2013-2014), the tuition fee rates of South Puget Sound is $107 for enrollees living in Washington while out-of-district and out-of-country students have to pay $120 and $279 respectively.
South Puget Sound Community College offers transfer services to students who want to pursue a four-year bachelor’s course using their associate degrees. Fortunately, SPSCC is part of the Washington Transfer Curriculum thus students do not need to worry about their units not being credited by other schools.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $9,100. To calculate a more personalized cost visit the net price calculator. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Tuition estimates per year:
- State Residents: $3,600-$4,300
- Out-of-State: $8,700-$10,470
- Charges for part-time students are:
- In-State: $110-$130 per unit
- Out-of-State: $260-$310 per unit
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
---|---|---|
Any Financial Aid | 56% | - |
Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 49% | $5,219 |
Receiving Student Loans | 8% | $4,972 |
Admissions, Academics, & Student Services
Student Services
To help support students, South Puget Sound Community College may provide student services like those listed below:
- Distance learning
- Classes offered on nights and weekends
- Remedial courses
- Career path counseling
- Student employment
- Assisting students to find work
- Child care
Graduation & Transfer Rates
Students who attend a community college will be able to choose from a variety of programs that will lead to an associate's degree or transfer to a four year institution. The following list shows graduation and transfer-out rates for this school compared to community colleges in Washington, which can be useful for determining which community college to attend.
South Puget Sound Community College | Thurston County | Washington | |
---|---|---|---|
Graduation Rate | 28.5% | - | 29.5% |
Transfer-out Rate | 19.2% | - | 19.5% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Dental Assistant Program
- Accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (since 1967)
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.

Get more information about the programs offered by South Puget Sound Community College by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Agriculture Operations
- Horticulture (C)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (A)
Business and Marketing Studies
- Commerce (A)
- Bookkeeping (A, C)
- Receptionist (C)
- General Office Occupations and Clerical Services (C)
- Business Administration (A)
- Office Management and Supervision (A)
- Human Resources (C)
- Banking and Financial Services (C)
- Retail Management
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer Networking (A)
- Computer Programming (A)
- Web Management and Webmaster (C)
- Data Processing Technology (A)
- Data Modeling & Database Administration (DBA) (A)
Education
Engineering Technology
- Cad Drafting (C)
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) (A)
- Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering cad (C)
- Architectural Drafting cad (C)
- Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting cad (C)
- Manufacturing Engineering Technician (C)
- Survey Technology
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Family and Consumer Sciences, Human Sciences (C)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Nursing Assistant (C)
- Medical Assistant (A, C)
- Dental Assistant (A, C)
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) (C)
- Phlebotomy (C)
- Medical Executive Assistant (A)
- Nursing
Legal Professions and Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (A)
Mechanic and Repair Technology
- Auto Mechanic (A, C)
Personal and Culinary Services
- Culinary Arts (A, C)
- Baking And Pastry (C)
Physical Sciences
- Physical Sciences (A)
Precision Production
- Welding (A, C)
Security and Protective Services
- Fire Science (A)
- Fire Services Administration
Social Sciences
Other Community Colleges Nearby
The list of nearby schools has been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to South Puget Sound Community College.
- Pierce College District 11 in Lakewood, WA (20 miles away)
- Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, WA (23 miles away)
- Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, WA (25 miles away)
- Pierce College at Puyallup in Puyallup, WA (32 miles away)
- Highline Community College in Des Moines, WA (39 miles away)