West Valley College

What West Valley College does

West Valley College is a public community college located in Saratoga, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Founded in 1963 and operating as part of the California Community Colleges (CCC) system, it serves under the governance of the West Valley-Mission Community College District. The institution serves a diverse student body that includes first-time college students, transfer-bound students, high school dual-enrollment participants, international students, veterans, foster youth, and continuing education learners.

The college's core offerings include associate degrees, certificates, and — beginning in 2026 — its first bachelor's degree in Land Stewardship and Sustainability. It holds specialized programmatic accreditation from NASAD (art and design) and NASM (music). Its technology stack is built on standard higher-ed platforms: Canvas (LMS), Banner/Ellucian (student information system), Starfish (student success/early alert), and Nelnet (payment processing). The college has deployed a basic AI chatbot ("Westly") on its Admissions and Financial Aid pages to handle routine student inquiries.

The business model is publicly funded education. California Assembly Bill 3158 provides free tuition for in-district residents. California residents outside the district pay $46/unit, and non-residents pay $373/unit. Revenue is generated primarily through state apportionment, local property taxes, enrollment fees, and restricted grants — including a $3.9M FIPSE grant funding the FAAST semiconductor technician training program. The college also operates selected workforce, transfer, and continuing education programs with employer and four-year university partners (CSU, UC).

Name

West Valley College

Legal name

West Valley College

Website

https://westvalley.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Short description

West Valley College is a public community college in Saratoga, California, serving diverse students through associate degrees, certificates, vocational programs, and its first bachelor's degree (Land Stewardship and Sustainability, 2026), with free tuition for district residents under AB 3158.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Transfer degree pathways
• Career certificate programs
• Continuing education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saratoga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Enrollment Fees: Primary revenue from per-unit enrollment fees: $46 per unit for California residents, with free tuition for district residents under AB 3158. Non-residents pay $373 per unit additional tuition. International students pay $373 per unit plus $999 health fee and $100 application fee.
2. Financial Aid Distribution: Distributes federal and state financial aid including Pell Grants ($740-$7,395), CAL Grants ($6,000 max), Federal Work-Study, and institutional grants. Cal Grant B recipients may receive SSCG up to $8,000/year for 15+ units.
3. Basic Fees: Charges basic fees including Campus Center Use Fee ($15), Health Services ($21), Web Registration Processing ($3), Representation Fee ($2), Associated Student Government Fee ($7). Health fee waived for 2025-2026 academic year.
4. Transcript and Record Services: Revenue from official transcript requests at $6 per transcript (electronic or mail), processing in 1-5 business days depending on type. Additional fees for diploma replacement and degree verification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

West Valley College is a public community college delivering higher education through associate degrees (AA, AS), Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T, AS-T) guaranteeing CSU admission, certificates of achievement, certificates of completion, and its first bachelor's degree in Land Stewardship and Sustainability launching in 2026. The college offers tuition-free noncredit certificates in ESL and career skills through continuing education, organizes academic programs across six schools (Art and Design, Health and Human Development, Professional Studies, Science and Math, Language Arts and Social Sciences, and Continuing Education), and supports students with financial aid, learning communities, and specialized programs such as EOPS, veterans services, and TRIO.

Product overview

West Valley College is a community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include associate degrees (AA/AS), Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T) for guaranteed CSU admission, and certificates of achievement for career preparation. The college launched its first bachelor's degree in 2026 (Land Stewardship and Sustainability) and offers tuition-free certificates of completion and competency through continuing education. Academic programs are organized into six schools: Cilker School of Art and Design (accredited by NASAD and NASM), School of Health and Human Development, Che School of Professional Studies, School of Science and Math, School of Language Arts and Social Sciences, and School of Continuing Education. Student support is delivered through Canvas LMS, Banner student information system, and Starfish advising platform, supplemented by financial aid programs, learning communities, and support services including EOPS, veterans services, and disability support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bill and Leila Cilker School of Art and Design: Art and design school offering programs in fashion, fine arts, photography, architecture, interior design, communication design, applied music, music production, theater, film, and industrial design.
• Fang Pei Che School of Professional Studies
• School of Health and Human Development
• School of Science and Math
• School of Language Arts and Social Sciences
• School of Continuing Education

Products and services

• Associate Degrees

Quantifiable outcome

• Free tuition for district residents reduces cost barrier to education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership through the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) selecting West Valley as one of six community colleges nationally for the Work-Based Learning Capacity-Building Cohort, focusing on advancing work-based learning initiatives and student career preparation.
• Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026National organization partnering with New America to select six community colleges for work-based learning cohort, providing expertise, resources, and recognition for institutional advancement in career education.
• Silicon Valley Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Local foundation providing scholarship funding opportunities listed on West Valley's external scholarships page, supporting students with financial need through various scholarship programs.
• California State University SystemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransfer pathway partnerships through Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) guarantee admission to CSU system with junior standing. UCTP agreements provide similar pathways to UC system.
• University of California SystemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity California Transfer Pathway (UCTP) agreements enable community college students to transfer with junior standing to UC campuses.
• California Community Colleges SystemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of 116-college system enabling shared application (OpenCCC), cross-enrollment (California Virtual Campus Exchange), and collective financial aid programs including CAL Grants and CCPG.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Hartnell College: Hartnell College in Salinas, CA serves Monterey County with associate degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs. It is a comparable California community college in terms of mission, structure, and student demographics.
• San Jose City College: San Jose City College is part of the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District, located in San Jose. It offers similar associate degrees, CTE programs, and serves a Silicon Valley demographic overlapping with West Valley's catchment area.
• Cabrillo College: Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA serves Santa Cruz County with comparable associate, transfer, and CTE programs. It operates in a nearby region with overlapping student demographics and similar community college mission.
• Evergreen Valley College: Evergreen Valley College is the other member of the San Jose-Evergreen CCD in San Jose, CA. It offers similar two-year degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs for Silicon Valley residents and competes for overlapping student demand.
• Gavilan College: Gavilan College in Gilroy, CA (Gavilan Joint CCD) serves southern Santa Clara County with associate degrees and transfer programs, partially overlapping West Valley's district geography and competing for the same regional student base.
• Skyline College: Skyline College in San Bruno, CA is part of the San Mateo County Community College District, offering similar transfer and CTE programs in the broader Bay Area region with comparable mission and student base.
• Foothill College: Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA (Foothill-De Anza CCD) is a nearby Silicon Valley community college offering comparable transfer, CTE, and continuing education programs to overlapping student populations.

Direct peers

• Mission College: Mission College is the third college in the West Valley-Mission Community College District, located in Santa Clara. It offers similar associate degrees, transfer programs, and community education in the same district and Silicon Valley footprint.
• De Anza College: De Anza College is the sister college within the West Valley-Mission Community College District, located in Cupertino, CA. It offers comparable associate degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs serving the same Silicon Valley population, making it the closest direct peer.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Coursera is a global online learning platform offering degree pathways, certificates, and courses from accredited institutions. It is a broad incumbent competing for adult and continuing education learners who might otherwise enroll in community college CTE or transfer programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/west-valley-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/wvccilkersoad
• Xx.com/westvalleycc
• Facebookfacebook.com/65985291927

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West Valley College