What Yakima Valley College is like

Academic feel

Yakima Valley College offers a broad range of academic programs centered on applied learning and workforce preparation. The college provides 5 Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, 55 associate degree programs, and over 100 certificates of achievement, alongside lower-division arts and sciences courses. A notable feature is the Running Start program, which allows eligible Washington high school juniors and seniors to earn college and high school credit simultaneously at no tuition cost. The college's recent $22.7 million West Campus expansion in 2021 added dedicated learning spaces for allied health programs, a teaching winery, and a conference center, reflecting investment in hands-on, applied education.

Social life

Yakima Valley College operates as a regional community college serving a large geographic area encompassing more than 8,000 square miles across Yakima, Kittitas, and Klickitat counties. The institution maintains multiple physical locations—a main Yakima campus, a Grandview campus, and learning centers in Toppenish, Sunnyside, and Ellensburg—making higher education accessible across a wide region. The college has a notable athletic tradition through its Yaks teams competing in the Northwest Athletic Conference, with historically strong programs in baseball and basketball.

Strengths

• Strong applied science focus with dedicated infrastructure including a new $22.7 million West Campus that opened in 2021 featuring allied health learning spaces and a teaching winery.[1]
• Extensive program offerings across multiple disciplines with 5 Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, 55 associate degree programs, and over 100 certificates of achievement.[2]
• Baseball program with eight NWAC Championships and success across multiple athletic conferences spanning decades.[1]
• Tuition-free Running Start program enabling high school juniors and seniors to earn dual high school and college credit.[1]
• Regional accessibility through multiple campuses and learning centers serving over 8,000 square miles across three counties.[2]

Traditions

• Men's basketball championship tradition with five NWAC Championships (1966, 1976, 2003, 2008, 2022) and multiple runner-up finishes.[1]
• Women's basketball success as a three-time NWAC Championship winner (1990, 1991, 2011).[1]
• Founded in 1928 as Yakima Valley Junior College, becoming the third junior college in Washington state and establishing continuous operation for nearly a century.[1]