| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college, one of the 16 colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS); campus programs plus several fully online degrees |
| Locations | Five open sites in western Kentucky. This page lists the four that teach trade and health programs: the main campus and the Marine Way Training Center in Paducah, the Skilled Craft Training Center near Mayfield and the Purchase Area Training Center in Mayfield. The fifth, the Paducah School of Art & Design downtown, teaches visual art and multimedia. Aviation maintenance is taught at Barkley Regional Airport |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS, AA, AS, AFA), diplomas and certificates, plus Workforce Solutions courses such as CDL |
| Typical length | Four weeks for the CDL Class A course; two semesters for Dental Assisting; three for Practical Nursing; two years for most associate degrees |
| Enrollment | 5,384 students in fall 2025 (college headcount); 71% of undergraduates studied part time in fall 2024 (College Navigator) |
| Accreditation | The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC); next review December 2028 (College Navigator) |
| Federal aid | Yes (Title IV) |
| Tuition | 2026-27: $198 a credit for Kentucky residents, six Illinois reciprocity counties and online-only courses; $270 for other non-residents; plus an $8 fee per credit |
| Founded | 2003, by merging Paducah Community College and West Kentucky Technical College; their roots go back to 1932 and 1909 |
| Facts checked | 9 October 2026 |
A Paducah college formed from two older schools in 2003
West Kentucky Community and Technical College was formed in 2003, when Paducah Community College and West Kentucky Technical College were combined into one college within KCTCS. It serves eight Purchase-area counties of far western Kentucky and draws students from southern Illinois, Missouri and northwest Tennessee. Most teaching happens on the Paducah campus, with fire science and maritime training at Marine Way and trade programs at two sites in Graves County. Most of its health programs hold programmatic accreditation and post their exam results, and the US Maritime Administration has named it a Center of Excellence for domestic maritime workforce training. In April 2026 it was named one of 25 semifinalists for the Aspen Prize for community college excellence.
Programs on five sites and online
WKCTC’s 2026-27 catalog lists certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in about 40 program areas. Eight health programs admit students on points. Trade programs are built as stacks of certificates leading to a diploma, and several can be carried into an associate degree. The table covers the main career programs; a dash means the program page gave no figure.
| Program | Credential | Length and entry | Where | Accreditation | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | AAS; PN-RN Bridge | Four semesters (bridge three); selective | Paducah | ACEN | NCLEX-RN |
| Practical Nursing | Certificate, diploma | Three semesters; selective | Paducah | ACEN | NCLEX-PN |
| Nursing assistant | Medicaid Nurse Aide and Advanced Nursing Assistant certificates | – | Paducah; Skilled Craft Training Center | State-approved (nurse aide) | – |
| Radiography | AAS | Two years; selective, information session | Paducah | JRCERT (eight-year award) | ARRT; Kentucky license |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AAS | About two years; selective | Paducah | CAAHEP | ARDMS |
| Surgical Technology | AAS | Two years; selective | Paducah | CAAHEP | NBSTSA certification |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | AAS; phlebotomy certificate | Two years; selective | Paducah | NAACLS | ASCP BOC |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | AAS | Two years; about 15 admitted a year | Paducah | CAPTE (through 2035) | NPTE |
| Dental Assisting | Diploma | Two semesters; fall start; selective | Paducah | CODA | – |
| Emergency Medical Technician | Certificate | About six months | Marine Way | – | – |
| Fire Science Technology | AAS, diploma, certificates | Mostly evenings and weekends | Marine Way | – | – |
| Welding Technology | Combination Welder Diploma, eight certificates | – | Paducah; Skilled Craft Training Center | – | AWS National Skills Standards Level I |
| Air Conditioning Technology (HVAC) | HVAC Mechanic Diploma, six certificates | – | Paducah; Skilled Craft Training Center | NCCER | – |
| Automotive Technology | AAS, diploma, certificates | – | Paducah; Skilled Craft Training Center | ASE | – |
| Diesel Technology | Three diplomas, 12 certificates | – | Purchase Area Training Center | ASE | – |
| CDL Class A | Workforce Solutions course | 4 weeks, 160 hours | Purchase Area Training Center | – | Class A CDL |
| Aviation Maintenance Technology | AAS, diploma, certificates | – | Barkley Regional Airport | – | – |
| Electrical Technology | AAS, diplomas, certificates | – | Paducah | – | – |
| Industrial Maintenance Technology | AAS, diploma, certificates | – | Paducah; KY FAME at Skilled Craft | – | – |
| Business, IT, logistics, criminal justice, CAD, medical information technology | AAS, diplomas and certificates | – | Online or Paducah | – | MSSC logistics credentials (LOM 100) |
Eight programs can be completed fully online: the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science, Business Administration, Computer Aided Drafting and Design, Computer and Information Technologies, Criminal Justice, Logistics and Operations Management, and Medical Information Technology. Visual art and multimedia programs are taught at the Paducah School of Art & Design, a three-building campus at 905 Harrison Street downtown, completed in 2016. Aviation Maintenance Technology, announced in 2024 for a fall 2024 start, is taught at Barkley Regional Airport rather than on the main campus. The college also runs Coast Guard-approved maritime courses for working mariners at Marine Way, and dual-credit classes at area high schools that are open only to high-school students.
What the main programs cover
Registered nursing
The Nursing AAS is four semesters of nursing courses with clinical rotations. Places are awarded on points, and applicants should check whether an information session is required. Before the first semester, admitted students must hold healthcare-provider CPR certification, be up to date on immunizations and pass a background check and drug screen. Practical nurses who want to become RNs can skip ahead through the three-semester PN-RN Bridge, which ends in the same degree. In recent cohorts about two thirds of traditional students finished within the program’s normal length.
Practical nursing
Practical Nursing is three semesters long and is taught only on the main campus in Paducah. Students can leave with a certificate or a diploma and then sit the NCLEX-PN. Entry is selective and points-based, with the same CPR, immunization, background check and drug screen requirements as the RN program. The program reports a 77.3% completion rate within three semesters for its spring 2026 graduating class, according to its outcomes page.
Radiography
Radiography takes two years and combines classes in Paducah with clinical rotations. Applicants must attend an information session, and admission is selective. Graduates take the ARRT registry exam and apply for a license from the Kentucky Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy before they can work in the state. The program publishes a five-year record of exam results and job placement, and in 2025 all 18 students in the graduating class completed the program.
Welding
The Combination Welder Diploma is the full welding program, and the certificates inside it work as steps: Welder Helper, Gas Welder, ARC Cutter, Shielded Metal Arc, Gas Metal Arc, Gas Tungsten Arc and Production Line Welder, plus AWS National Skills Standards Level I. Students can stop at any certificate. Classes run on the main campus and at the Skilled Craft Training Center, so students in Graves County do not have to commute to Paducah.
Diesel technology
Diesel Technology at the Purchase Area Training Center splits into three equipment types, each with its own diploma: medium and heavy trucks, construction equipment and agricultural equipment. Certificates such as Diesel Engine Mechanic and Heavy Duty Brake Mechanic, among 12 in all, let students build up to a diploma or stop early with a shorter credential. ASE accredits the medium and heavy truck program. Students who want an associate degree combine the diploma with general education in General Occupational/Technical Studies.
Fire science
Fire Science Technology is scheduled around working students. Classes at the Marine Way Training Center meet mainly in the evenings and at weekends. Credentials go from the Basic Firefighter certificate through the Advanced Firefighter certificate to the Fire Chief Diploma and an associate degree, and the Emergency Medical Technician certificate sits inside the same program. The program page does not name the certifications each course leads to.
2026-27 tuition and how students pay
Tuition is set by the KCTCS Board of Regents and is the same at every KCTCS college. For 2026-27, WKCTC’s tuition page lists:
- $198 a credit for Kentucky residents, for residents of six Illinois reciprocity counties (Alexander, Pulaski, Massac, Pope, Hardin and Johnson), and for online-only courses taken by anyone.
- $270 a credit for other non-residents. There is no separate in-district rate.
- Fees: $8 a credit for all students, plus a $20-a-credit distance-learner fee on online-only courses.
- A full year (24 credits): $4,752 tuition for residents or $6,480 for non-residents, plus $192 in fees.
- Cost of attendance with books, transport and living costs: $15,614 for an in-state student living with parents and $19,323 living off campus; $17,342 and $21,051 for out-of-state students.
- CDL Class A course: $4,500 (2026), covering instruction, the DOT physical and drug test; permit and license fees are extra.
WKCTC takes part in federal financial aid. The state’s Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship covers up to 60 credit hours of tuition in high-demand programs for Kentucky residents who have a high-school diploma or are working on a GED and do not yet hold an associate degree. The college also points students to the Adult Promise Scholarship (age 25 and over), the MacKenzie Scott Opportunities Scholarship (ages 18 to 24) and a Community Scholarship for graduates of McCracken County’s four high schools; its foundation had more than $500,000 in scholarships available for 2025-26. The CDL course accepts WIOA, vocational rehabilitation, TAA and veterans’ education benefits.
Admissions, starts and schedules
WKCTC is open admission and charges no pre-enrollment fee or deposit. Nursing, practical nursing, dental assisting, medical laboratory technician, radiography, sonography, surgical technology and physical therapist assistant are selective, points-based programs, most with a required information session, and admitted students need CPR certification, immunizations, a background check and a drug screen before they start.
Fall 2026 classes began on 18 August. Spring terms offer 16-, 12- and 8-week sessions, and summer runs from mid-May to early August. Classes are in person, hybrid or online; Fire Science meets mostly in the evenings and at weekends, Dental Assisting starts only in fall, and the CDL course runs Monday to Friday by day for four weeks, with a new session each month from April to December 2026.
Accreditation and published results
WKCTC is accredited to award associate degrees by The Commission on Colleges and Universities, the name the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) took on 1 September 2026; the commission says the change does not affect any member’s accreditation. College Navigator lists WKCTC’s next review in December 2028, and we found no sanction or monitoring action.
Program accreditors, as listed on the college’s accreditation page and program pages: ACEN for nursing and practical nursing; CODA for dental assisting; CAAHEP for sonography and surgical technology; JRCERT for radiography; NAACLS for the medical laboratory technician program; CAPTE for physical therapist assistant, through 2035; ASE for automotive, collision repair and diesel; and NCCER for HVAC. The accreditation page still shows the PTA program as accredited through 2025; the PTA page and College Navigator give 2035.
Published results by program:
| Program | Result | Cohort and source |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing (RN) | NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate 86.7% (2025; Kentucky 88.1%), 96.3% (2024), 88.2% (2023); job placement 100% | Calendar years; placement for 2022-23 to 2024-25 cohorts; WKCTC nursing outcomes page |
| Practical Nursing | NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate 100% (2024 and 2025); job placement 100% | Calendar years; graduating terms fall 2022 to fall 2025; WKCTC PN outcomes page |
| Radiography | ARRT first-attempt pass rate 81% (59 of 73) over five years, 57% (8 of 14) in 2024; job placement 100% (64 of 64) | Graduates 2021 to 2025; WKCTC program effectiveness page |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | NPTE first-time pass rate 55%, ultimate 90%; employment 100% | Two-year average, 2023 and 2024 graduates; WKCTC PTA outcomes page |
| Surgical Technology | Outcome assessment exam: 25% (2022-23), 71% (2023-24), 100% (2024-25) | Cohort sizes not given; WKCTC program page |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | ASCP BOC: 4 of 5 passed (2025), 3 of 3 (2023); employment within six months 100% | 2023 to 2025 graduates; WKCTC MLT outcomes page |
| College-wide (college measure) | 53.7% graduated within 150% of normal time; 67.5% retention | Graduation: first-time, full-time credential-seeking students; retention: first-time credential-seeking students of any load; 2024-25; WKCTC student achievement page |
| College-wide (federal measure) | 50% graduated within 150% of normal time; 9% transferred out | Full-time students who started in fall 2021; College Navigator (IPEDS) |
The college’s figure and College Navigator’s measure different groups of students, so they should not be compared directly. Sonography, dental assisting, cosmetology, welding and the CDL course publish no pass or placement rates on their program pages.
Before you enroll
- Not every health program has strong exam results. The PTA program’s first-time NPTE pass rate averaged 55% over 2023 and 2024, only 8 of 14 radiography graduates passed the ARRT on the first try in 2024, and surgical technology graduates scored 25% on the program’s outcome exam in 2022-23. Radiography (76% in 2025) and surgical technology (100% in 2024-25) did better afterward, but ask each program for its newest results.
- Two programs on older lists are closed to new students: Computerized Manufacturing and Machining (since 1 October 2023) and the Marine Technology associate degree. Health Science Technology is a holding degree made of short certificates, where students often wait for a seat in a selective program; it is not a clinical credential on its own.
- Check what a credential name covers. HVAC, welding and diesel have no associate degree of their own (the AAS route is General Occupational/Technical Studies), and collision repair stops at a diploma; the HVAC page does not mention EPA Section 608 preparation, and the aviation maintenance page does not state the program’s FAA approval. The engineering bachelor’s degrees taught on campus are the University of Kentucky’s, not WKCTC’s.
- Online programs cost the same $198 a credit wherever a student lives, but the online-learning page does not say whether WKCTC takes part in SARA, the agreement that lets colleges enroll distance students from other states. Students outside Kentucky should confirm they can enroll before applying.
- WKCTC has no dormitories, and 71% of its undergraduates attend part time. Students moving to the area arrange their own housing.
Tutoring, food help and housing for single parents
The Student Success Center in the Matheson Learning Resource Center offers tutoring, supplemental instruction, computers, printing and success coaches. The Campus Cupboard food pantry is in the Anderson Technical Building. Adult education and GED classes run in Paducah and, for Graves County, at the Skilled Craft Training Center. Paducah Scholar House, a partner housing complex with 48 apartments for single-parent students, opened in 2012; ask the college about current eligibility. Clinical rotations are built into every selective health program.
What students say
On Niche, WKCTC averages 3.98 out of 5 from 279 reviews and has an overall grade of B (checked 9 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise invested professors, a mix of in-person and online classes that suits working students, and free tutoring and library support, and several describe a calm, well-kept campus. The main complaints are a limited choice of specialized majors, so some students transfer to finish, slow or inconsistent responses from some offices along with occasional Blackboard problems, and a quiet campus with few recreational facilities. We could not see when the reviews were posted, so we cannot say whether they cluster in time.
Sources
Checked 9 October 2026: WKCTC campuses and sites · KCTCS 2026-27 catalog, WKCTC · WKCTC tuition and costs · WKCTC accreditation · WKCTC student achievement · College Navigator · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Allied Health
- Nursing (AAS, associate degree in nursing; PN-RN Bridge)
- Practical Nursing (certificate, diploma)
- Advanced Nursing Assistant and Medicaid Nurse Aide (certificates; Paducah and Skilled Craft Training Center)
- Dental Assisting (diploma)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AAS)
- Radiography (AAS)
- Surgical Technology (AAS)
- Medical Laboratory Technician (AAS; Phlebotomy for the Health Care Worker and Physician's Office Laboratory certificates)
- Physical Therapist Assistant (AAS)
- Medical Information Technology (AAS, diploma, certificate; online)
- Health Science Technology (AAS built from short certificates, including Medical Coding)
- Emergency Medical Technician (certificate; Marine Way)
Skilled Trades and Transportation
- Welding Technology (Combination Welder Diploma, certificates; Paducah and Skilled Craft Training Center)
- Air Conditioning Technology (HVAC Mechanic Diploma, certificates; Paducah and Skilled Craft Training Center)
- Electrical Technology (AAS, diplomas, certificates)
- Industrial Maintenance Technology (AAS incl. Advanced Manufacturing Technician track, diploma, certificates)
- Automotive Technology (AAS, diploma, certificates; Paducah and Skilled Craft Training Center)
- Auto Body/Collision Repair Technology (diploma, certificates)
- Diesel Technology (diplomas, certificates; Purchase Area Training Center, Mayfield)
- Aviation Maintenance Technology (AAS, diploma, certificates; Barkley Regional Airport)
- Construction Technology (diploma, certificates)
- Truck Driver Training (certificate) and CDL Class A (Workforce Solutions; Mayfield)
- Apprenticeship Studies (AAS)
- General Occupational/Technical Studies (AAS)
Public Safety
- Fire Science Technology (AAS, Fire Chief Diploma, firefighter certificates; Marine Way)
- Criminal Justice (AAS, certificate; AAS online)
Business and Computing
- Business Administration (AAS, diploma, certificate; online option)
- Logistics and Operations Management (AAS, certificates; mainly online)
- Administrative Office Technology (certificate)
- Computer and Information Technologies (AAS, certificate; online option)
- Computer Engineering Technology (AAS)
- Computer Aided Drafting and Design (diploma, certificate; online option)
Service, Education and Arts
- Cosmetology (Cosmetologist Diploma and Certificate; Apprentice Cosmetology Instructor)
- Culinary Arts (AAS, diplomas, certificates)
- Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (AAS, certificate)
- Human and Social Services (certificate)
- Education (AAS)
- Visual Communication: Multimedia (AAS, diploma, certificate; Paducah School of Art & Design)
- Visual Art (Associate in Fine Arts; Paducah School of Art & Design)
- Associate in Arts and Associate in Science (transfer; online option)
Campus Locations
Paducah, KY 4810 Alben Barkley Drive, Paducah, KY 42001
Paducah, KY 631 Marine Way, Paducah, KY 42003
Mayfield (Hickory), KY 70 Hickory Road, Hickory, KY 42051
Mayfield, KY 234 Pioneer Industrial Drive, Mayfield, KY 42066