Shoreline College, former Shoreline Community College, is a publiccommunity college in Shoreline, Washington. It is located in a residential area east of Shoreview Park. The college contains over 80 acres and continuously serves 12,000 full- and part-time students. It opened in 1964 and offers Associate's degree and certificate programs as well as one Bachelor's degree program.
History
Some elements of Shoreline College's architecture and landscaping are reminiscent of Japanese traditions. Note the high roof element and the rocks representing a stream as in a traditional Japanese garden.
Shoreline College was the brainchild of Ray W. Howard, superintendent of the Shoreline School District. He felt that Washington state's increasing host of high school graduates did not have adequate opportunities for higher education and "actively worked with other school districts in the area to convince legislators of the needs of 'non-traditional' students who could not, because of economic circumstances, attend the University of Washington or other four-year institutions." In 1959 he brought forward the idea of a community college in Shoreline.
Shoreline College started with evening classes in January 1964, accepting 806 student applications that would be taught at Shoreline High School which is now Shoreline Center. Howard "retired as superintendent in 1963, and spent his last two years with the district planning and opening the new Shoreline College".
"The Boeing family eventually donated approximately 83 acres on a wooded bluff to Shoreline College," and the site was cleared for construction in the early 1960s. "In the fall of 1965, the new campus was ready for students."
According to a study released in October 2013, Shoreline College is the best value for an associate degree in the state of Washington and among the best in the nation. As pointed out in the study, graduates are shown to earn $456,269 more in their lifetime than they would without the associate degree.
In May 2025, the Board of Trusties voted to rename the institution from Shoreline Community College to Shoreline College and conducted a survey among students, staff and faculty and, after receiving the majority of votes in favor of rebranding, updated the logo, and the new brand was launched in early 2026 . Shoreline College is also set to graduate its first cohort of Bachelor's degree students in June 2026, who began the college's Bachelor of Applied Science program in dental hygiene in Summer 2024.
Academics
Shoreline College offers several transfer degrees and more than 100 professional, technical, and workforce training degrees and certificates, some short-term, others taking up to two years to complete. The institution participates in DTA program that allows to transfer undergraduate credits into four-year universities in Washington State.
In 2006 Shoreline College was recognized as one of 27 colleges nationwide to offer NAFTC's alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) training and outreach center. The school's automotive program has received statewide recognition for its specialized program.
Campus life
Many college departments, such as Associated Student Government and Arts & Entertainment Board, provide multiple events on campus, including sport games, parties, and graduation ceremonies. Shoreline College offers more than 50 cultural, sport, and volunteering clubs, run by current students. Enrolled students can access Fitness Center, Benefit Hub, Career Center, Tutoring Center and other facilities on campus.
Alder Residence Hall (former 7000 Campus Living) hosts up to 200+ students to live on campus starting from the age of 16 and provides the options of shared and private bedrooms or studios. Residents have access to free Wi-Fi, common study space, common kitchen, laundry service, parking and bus stops, as well as community-based and entertainment activities.
Current students are eligible for jobs on campus in several departments. Shoreline College offers positions for Student Ambassadors, Office Assistants, Tutors, Peer Mentors, Resident Assistants and other student-hourly options. The work-study program is available as a part of a financial aid package for eligible students.
Library
The library on campus was one of the first three buildings to be constructed when the college was founded. In 1981 the library was named in honor of Ray W. Howard near the time of the founding superintendent's retirement. It was remodeled in late 2016 and early 2017.
The Ray Howard Library has a print collection that includes nonfiction, reference, foreign language materials, an ESL collection, journals, magazines, and a small popular books section with some graphic novels. While the print collection is supportive of Shoreline College's curriculum, the digital resources include academic and trade journals, magazine and newspaper articles, e-books, reference books, and streaming video. The librarians teach workshops, consultations, and individual sessions to students and others who are learning the research process. Ray W. Howard participates in the online chat collaborative service, Ask WA which ensures that students have a way to ask questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Controversy
Japanese-American community members criticised Shoreline College's original mascot, the Samurai, as culturally insensitive, with the chair of a committee dedicated to changing the mascot describing it as "basically rude". College spokesperson Mariko Kakiuchi shared that sentiment, stating, "It's definitely time for Shoreline to address the issue." In November 1991 students voted to replace the mascot with the Dolphins, beating out the Sea Lions and the Tsunamis.
Publications
The Ebbtide is Shoreline College's student newspaper.
Spindrift is Shoreline College's Arts and Literary Journal, released annually.
1000 Words is a quarterly publication released by f-stop, the Photography club at Shoreline College.
Troy Wolff, a professor from the English department and published author, was killed in the attack on Pioneer Square in September 2013, trying to protect his partner. In his honor, Troy Wolff Memorial Scholarship was established to support students majoring in humanities.
