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Education
Education Landscape
K-12
No matter your child’s interest, Yakima has excellent options for learners big and small. If you want flexibility, Montessori schools, Discovery Lab, homeschool co-ops, and both national and district-driven online programs offer lots of room for independence and choice. There are also private schools to choose from.
STEM is alive and well in Yakima with incredible career-based education programs, summer STEM programs, robotics courses, and new partnerships with businesses for student apprenticeships to bridge school and career.
YV Tech has its own campus providing high school students with technical skills training in over 18 programs including drones, digital media, and computer technology.
Local high schools offer college-level courses and the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. High school juniors can segue into upper education and have the opportunity to graduate high school with college credits or even an associate degree.
Did you know?
In 2013, Zillah science teacher Jeff Charbonneau became the fourth educator from our state to be named the National Teacher of the Year. This outstanding educator is now a leader in the district as principal in Zillah.
West Valley School District’s Youth Apprenticeship Program allows students to earn college credits, accrue apprenticeship hours, and make a salary, all while finishing their high school diploma.
Higher Ed
In Yakima, you don’t have to travel far to pursue your dreams in higher education. Yakima Valley College offers Running Start so your high schooler can attend college their junior and senior year with dozens of options for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees as well as certificates.
For those who want to work in the trades, Perry Technical Institute is a highly accredited school offering programs in agriculture equipment, construction, HVAC, manufacturing, instrumentation, IT, electrical, precision machining, and much more.
Heritage University offers bachelor’s and master’s programs as well as a Physician Assistant Educational Program and an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Central Washington University is just 30 miles away in Ellensburg and has more than 135 majors and 32 master’s degree programs.
Opened in 2005, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) is a medical university providing doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine. The first graduating class was in 2012 and the institution continues to expand its campus and programs.
Higher Education Enrollment
Yakima Valley College
7,624
Washington State University Education Center
1,300
Perry Technical Institute
715
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
570
Heritage University
910