Two Year Community & Technical

Technical and Two Year Colleges 

Washington has 34 public Community & Technical Colleges that have open enrollment for all students. You can get a professional certificate (6 weeks+), associate degree (2 years) or bachelor of applied science degree (4 years). You can get degrees or certifications in specific trades such as: nursing, automotive repair, cyber security, etc. as well as a transfer degree to 4-year colleges or universities for further education.

Credits to Complete

To earn an associate degree at a two-year or technical college, you must complete 90 quarter or 60 semester credits in college. By design, this is the same number of credits needed to complete the first two years of a four-year university.

A four-year (bachelor's) degree generally requires completion of a total 180 quarter or 120 semester credits over a four-year period. Bachelor's and associate degrees require you to complete credits in two types of course material.

• General Education: General education courses cover a broad range of basic subjects.​ These courses give you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills to draw from as you advance to deeper study in specific fields.
• Preparation for Major Coursework: Additional credits required for an associate degree usually focus on a specific area of emphasis. Associate transfer degrees prepare you to transfer to specific bachelor's degree programs at four-year universities. 

Transfer Pathways

You can take various paths to a certificate, associate degree, or a bachelor's degree. A large percentage of those who enter a four-year university as freshmen graduate from that institution. Others may enroll at one four-year university and then transfer to another. Others start at a 2 year community and technical college and transfer to a four-year college or university.