| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college in Washington’s community and technical college system; mostly in person, with some programs online or hybrid |
| Campus | Main campus in Renton (King County), Washington |
| Credentials | Certificates, AAS and AAS-T degrees; two applied bachelor’s degrees (BAS), both closed to new students |
| Calendar | Quarters |
| Typical length | 5 weeks to about 23 months for certificates; about 17 months to 2 years for associate degrees |
| Accreditation | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1978; next review Spring 2027 |
| Federal aid | Yes, for programs on the college’s approved list; some short certificates are not eligible |
| 2026-27 tuition | $1,697.30 per 15-credit quarter for Washington residents, plus about $31 per credit in fees |
| Students | 8,152 headcount and 3,480 full-time-equivalent students in 2024-25 (state board) |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public technical college in Renton, Washington
Renton Technical College (RTC) is one of the 34 public colleges in Washington’s community and technical college system. Founded in 1941, it serves the Renton, Kent, Auburn, Tahoma and Enumclaw school districts and part of the Seattle district from its 30-acre main campus in Renton. It teaches career certificates and associate degrees in seven areas of study, from health care and welding to culinary arts and IT. In 2024-25, 46% of its students were in workforce programs, 36% in basic skills and 12% in academic or transfer courses; 41% studied full time and the median age was 30. More than a dozen programs, including pharmacy technician, veterinary assistant and accounting, are now closed to new students, and the RN program is on conditional approval from the state nursing board.
Career programs taught in Renton
All programs below are taught at the Renton campus. Credit totals come from the college’s federal-aid program list, its program pages and Career Bridge, the State of Washington’s program listing; most lengths and all tuition estimates come from Career Bridge (checked October 2026). A dash means the sources gave no figure.
| Program | Credential | Length | Entry and delivery | Accreditation or exam | Career Bridge tuition estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | AAS-T, 116 credits | 2 years (college); 18 months (Career Bridge) | One fall cohort, 26 seats | Conditional approval, Washington State Board of Nursing; NCLEX-RN | $16,674 + $1,894 books |
| Anesthesia Technologist | AAS-T, 107 credits | About 20 months | Winter start | None named | $18,776 |
| Surgical Technologist | AAS, 103 credits | About 17 months | Next start Spring 2027, 18 seats | CAAHEP | $16,714 + $634 books |
| Medical Assistant | Certificate, 70 credits; AAS / AAS-T | About 11 months (certificate) | Fall or winter | CAAHEP (MAERB) | – |
| Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist | Certificate | 12 weeks | Any quarter | National exam; Washington registration | – |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | Certificate | 5 weeks | – | Approved by the Department of Health and Board of Nursing; not aid-eligible | – |
| Dental Assistant | Certificate, 60 credits; AAS / AAS-T | About 12 months (certificate) | – | Not CODA-accredited for Fall 2025 and later starts | – |
| Massage Therapy Practitioner | Certificate, 43 credits; AAS / AAS-T | About 9 months (certificate) | Fall | Approved by the Washington State Board of Massage (program page) | – |
| Medical Coding Specialist | AAS | About 21 months | Campus or online | No exam named | – |
| Revenue Management Specialist | Certificate, 59 credits | About 11 months | Campus or online | – | – |
| Health Care Navigator | Certificate, 29 credits | About 6 months | Fall or winter; campus or online | – | – |
| Central Service Technician | Certificate, 35 credits | About 6 months | – | – | – |
| Early Childhood Education | Certificates (47 and 65 credits); AAS / AAS-T | – | – | – | – |
| Welding | Arc Welding (18 credits), Entry Welder (49), Certified Welder (80) and 105-credit certificates; AAS | About 23 months (105-credit certificate) | Any quarter; interview | WABO testing center on campus | $17,143 (105-credit certificate) |
| HVAC-R Technician | Certificate, 45 credits; AAS, 90 credits | About 9 months (certificate) | Fall or winter; AAS in the evening | – | $7,655 (certificate) |
| Mechatronics | Certificate, 46 credits; AAS | About 9 months; AAS about 22 months | Fall or winter; ACCUPLACER 235+ | – | – |
| Machining Technologies | Certificate, 62 credits; AAS | 4 quarters; AAS 6 quarters | Manufacturing Basics (18 credits) on evenings and weekends | – | – |
| Commercial Building Engineering | Certificate, 80 credits; AAS | About 18 months | – | City of Seattle School of Technology | – |
| Property Maintenance (Multi-Family) | Certificate | 1 quarter (about 11 weeks) | – | Not aid-eligible | – |
| Automotive Technology | Certificate, 80 credits; AAS | About 17 months (certificate) | – | ASE-certified (NATEF); ASE tests, Washington emissions | – |
| Autobody Repair & Refinishing | Certificate, 72 credits; AAS | – | – | I-CAR | – |
| Professional Cooking | Certificates; AAS; AAS-T | – | – | ACF Education Foundation (certificate) | – |
| Professional Baking | Certificates incl. Baking Basics (46 credits); AAS; Bakery Entrepreneurship AAS | – | Fall, winter or spring | – | – |
| Entrepreneurship | Short certificates; 50-credit certificate; AAS; AAS-T | – | Any quarter; campus or online | – | – |
| Construction Management | Certificate, 45 credits; AAS; AAS-T | – | – | – | – |
| Legal Assistant | Certificate, 65 credits; AAS | – | Campus or online; 30 wpm typing | No ABA approval mentioned | – |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | AAS-T | About 24 months | Fall, winter or spring | Security+, CCNA, Microsoft Modern Desktop Administrator | – |
| Cloud Network Technology | AAS-T | – | – | CCNA, Linux+, AWS Cloud Practitioner | – |
Programs closed to new students as of October 2026 include Accounting Clerk, Accounting Paraprofessional, Pharmacy Technician, Veterinary Assistant, Commercial Refrigeration Technology, Contemporary Business Administration, the older Culinary Arts plan, Electrical Plant Maintenance, Engineering Design Technology and Field and Land Surveying Technician. The Computer Science degrees and both bachelor’s degrees, Application Development and Computer Network Engineering, are not accepting new students. The college’s specialized-accreditation page still lists accreditations for the closed pharmacy technician and veterinary assistant programs.
RTC also offers a Business transfer degree (DTA), short certificates in Business Project Coordinator, Content Creation & Social Media Marketing and Office Assistant, and a Band Instrument Repair Technology certificate and AAS.
What the main programs cover
Registered Nurse (AAS-T)
The RN degree takes one cohort a year: 26 students start each fall, and applications for the 2026 class were open from 1 May to 15 July 2026. The college describes it as a two-year program; Career Bridge counts 116 credits over 18 months. Clinical placements are in outside health-care sites, which require students to carry health insurance and be vaccinated against COVID, with no religious exemptions. There is no practical-nurse (LPN) exit point partway through the degree.
Anesthesia Technologist
The Anesthesia Technologist AAS-T is 107 credits and starts in winter only; Career Bridge counts about 20 months from start to finish. Clinical rotations take place in local hospitals, and students must carry health insurance and be vaccinated against COVID, because the clinical sites accept no religious exemptions. Unlike RTC’s surgical technology and medical assistant programs, its page names no programmatic accreditor and no certification exam, so ask the program about both before applying.
Welding
Welding has several exits. The 18-credit Arc Welding Certificate meets Monday to Friday; there are also Entry Welder and Certified Welder certificates (49 and 80 credits) and the full 105-credit Certificate of Completion, and 10 general-education credits turn the full certificate into an AAS. Students can start in any quarter after an interview. Because the campus is a WABO-approved testing center, students can sit the Washington Association of Building Officials welder tests on site, booked and paid for test by test.
HVAC-R Technician
HVAC-R Technician is the college’s newer heating, cooling and refrigeration program, replacing the 50-credit Commercial Refrigeration Technology certificate, which now takes no new students. The certificate is 45 credits, about nine months, and the 90-credit AAS meets in the evening. Both start in fall or winter. The program page says students learn to handle refrigerants safely, but it does not name EPA 608 certification or any industry accreditation.
Automotive Technology
Automotive Technology prepares students for ASE certification tests in up to nine areas, and graduates can also earn the ASE refrigerant recovery certificate and Washington emissions certification. The college lists the program as ASE-certified (NATEF). The certificate is 80 credits, and there is also an AAS. It was one of the four highest-enrolled programs at RTC in 2024-25, according to the state board’s field guide.
Property Maintenance (Multi-Family Residences)
This one-quarter certificate, about 11 weeks, trains maintenance technicians for apartment buildings. Courses cover basic electrical and plumbing repair, appliance repair, painting and drywall, grounds care and customer service with residents. It is a maintenance trade credential, not training in property management or leasing. The certificate is not on the college’s federal aid list, so students cannot use Pell Grants or federal loans for it.
Tuition for 2026-27 and how students pay
Washington has no in-district rate, so every state resident pays the same tuition. The college’s 2026-27 rates, effective Fall 2026, for lower-division courses:
| 2026-27, per quarter at 15 credits | Tuition and building and S&A fees |
|---|---|
| Washington resident | $1,697.30 |
| Non-resident, with waiver | $1,896.55 |
| International student | $3,880.85 |
Three quarters at 15 credits come to $5,091.90 for a Washington resident before the per-credit fees. On top of these figures, the college’s fee schedule (Summer 2026) lists a $22 mandatory fee, a $5 security fee and a $4 technology fee per credit, about $31 per credit in all; ask whether they are capped at full-time loads. Online and hybrid courses add a $20 eLearning fee per course, and some programs carry their own fee per credit: $50 for nursing, $40 for welding and $25 for culinary. The college publishes a non-resident rate only “with waiver”; out-of-state students should ask the college whether they qualify for it. Full rates are on the college’s tuition and fees page.
RTC takes federal financial aid for the programs on its approved-programs list. Short certificates such as Property Maintenance, Office Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant are not on it. Students also use Washington’s own programs: in 2024-25 the state board counted 637 RTC students in Worker Retraining and 574 in I-BEST, alongside the Washington College Grant and WorkFirst.
Open admission, with capped health programs
RTC admits students openly, but several programs have their own requirements and limits:
- Registered Nurse: one fall cohort of 26; 2026 applications ran from 1 May to 15 July.
- Surgical Technologist: 18 seats, next start Spring 2027 (no Fall 2026 intake).
- Anesthesia Technologist: winter start only.
- Mechatronics: ACCUPLACER score of 235 or higher.
- Legal Assistant: typing at 30 words per minute.
- Welding: high school diploma or GED, and an interview.
- Clinical programs (RN, anesthesia, medical assistant, phlebotomy): health insurance and COVID vaccination; clinical sites accept no religious exemptions.
The college runs on quarters. Many programs take new students every quarter, while health programs start once or twice a year. Most classes are daytime and on campus. The HVAC-R AAS meets in the evening and Manufacturing Basics on evenings and weekends. Health Care Navigator, Medical Coding, Revenue Management, Business Project Coordinator, Entrepreneurship and Legal Assistant are listed by Career Bridge with an online option.
Accreditation, nursing board status and results
RTC has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1978, at the associate and baccalaureate levels, after candidacy in 1975. NWCCU lists no sanction, and the college’s next review is a Policies, Regulations and Financial Review in Spring 2027.
The Registered Nurse program is on conditional approval from the Washington State Board of Nursing, according to the board’s list of approved programs dated 22 January 2026. It is not ACEN-accredited. First-time NCLEX-RN pass rates published on the college’s RN program page, by calendar year (candidate numbers not given):
| Year | First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate (RTC) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 80.95% |
| 2024 | None published |
| 2025 | 42.9% |
Other program accreditation: CAAHEP for Medical Assistant and Surgical Technologist; ASE (NATEF) for Automotive Technology; I-CAR for Autobody; the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation for the Professional Cooking certificate; and City of Seattle certification of Commercial Building Engineering as a School of Technology. The Dental Assistant program is no longer CODA-accredited for students who started in Fall 2025 or later. The Medical Assistant program’s MAERB report gives an average exam pass rate of 93.14% and average retention of 80.83% (2020-24), and 91.18% job placement for 2024 graduates. The Surgical Technologist program publishes no CST exam pass rate.
Before you enroll
- Check the nursing program’s status. The RN degree is on conditional approval from the state nursing board, and only 42.9% of its first-time NCLEX-RN takers passed in 2025, by the college’s own figures. Check the board’s approved-programs list for the latest status before applying.
- Dental Assistant is no longer CODA-accredited for students starting in Fall 2025 or later. Ask how that affects the certification you plan to earn.
- Surgical Technologist has no Fall 2026 class. The next start is Spring 2027, with 18 seats.
- Many programs have closed to new students. Pharmacy technician, veterinary assistant, accounting, computer science and both bachelor’s degrees are among them. Confirm that your program is enrolling before you apply.
- Some short certificates are not covered by federal aid. Property Maintenance, Office Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant are not on the college’s aid-approved list, and WABO welder tests are paid for separately.
The Renton campus
Every program is taught at the main campus, 3000 NE 4th St., Renton, WA 98056. RTC Downtown, at 232 Burnett Ave. in downtown Renton, opened in January 2019 for English-language and high school diploma classes, not career programs; we could not confirm that it still operates. The college also teaches classroom courses for registered apprentices: the state board counted 1,111 apprentices at RTC in 2024-25.
Dental clinic, bakery and welding test center
Three on-campus facilities give students practice with the public or with industry testing: a community dental clinic used by the Dental Assistant program, a retail bakery tied to the Professional Baking program, and a welding testing center approved by the Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO). Health students do their clinical work at outside sites, such as local hospitals for anesthesia technology.
What students say
On Niche, Renton Technical College averages 3.81 out of 5 from 189 reviews, with an overall grade of A- (checked 9 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise supportive, knowledgeable instructors, especially in hands-on and health programs, career-focused coursework, and small classes with advising, tutoring and mental-health support. Complaints are fewer: limited course choices, changes in curriculum and instructors in some programs, with machining named, and little campus or social life. Niche’s theme summaries are partly its own automated digests, complaints are sparse, and we did not check when the reviews were posted, so treat them as a rough guide to the college as a whole rather than to any one program.
Sources
Checked October 2026: RTC tuition and fees · RTC aid-approved programs and teach-out list · RTC Registered Nurse program · Washington State Board of Nursing approved programs (22 Jan 2026) · NWCCU directory · SBCTC Field Guide 2026: Renton · Career Bridge: RTC programs · Niche
Programs & Courses
Health and Human Services
- Registered Nurse (AAS-T)
- Anesthesia Technologist (AAS-T)
- Surgical Technologist (AAS; next start Spring 2027)
- Medical Assistant
- Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Dental Assistant
- Massage Therapy Practitioner
- Medical Coding Specialist (physician-based)
- Revenue Management Specialist
- Health Care Navigator
- Central Service Technician
- Early Childhood Education
Advanced Manufacturing
- Welding
- HVAC-R Technician
- Mechatronics
- Machining Technologies
- Manufacturing Basics
- Manufacturing and Fabrication Technologies
- Manufacturing Assembly
- Manufacturing Tooling
- Commercial Building Engineering
- Property Maintenance (Multi-Family Residences)
- Band Instrument Repair Technology
Transportation Technology
- Automotive Technology
- Autobody Repair & Refinishing
Culinary Arts
- Professional Cooking
- Professional Baking
- Bakery Entrepreneurship
- Baking Basics
Business Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Construction Management
- Legal Assistant
- Business Project Coordinator
- Content Creation & Social Media Marketing
- Office Assistant (short certificate)
Information Technology
- Cybersecurity Analyst (AAS-T)
- Cloud Network Technology (AAS-T)
- IT Fundamentals
Campus Locations
Seattle (Renton), WA 3000 NE 4th St., Renton, WA 98056