| Motto | The Place to Be |
|---|---|
| Type | Publiccommunity college |
| Established | 1926 (1926) |
Academic affiliations | Space-grant |
| President | Greg Dart |
| Location | , United States 41°52′27″N103°38′33″W / 41.87417°N 103.64250°W /41.87417; -103.64250 |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Blue andGold |
| Mascot | Cougars |
| Website | www |
 | |
 | |
Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) is apubliccommunity college inScottsbluff, Nebraska. It also has campuses inSidney andAlliance. WNCC was founded in 1926 as the Scottsbluff Junior College. The college assumed its current name in 1988. Its athletics teams are known as theCougars.
Western Nebraska Community College was originally established as the Scottsbluff Junior College in 1926. It was an extension of theUniversity of Nebraska system made to reduce the over-crowding of other colleges at the time.[1] After only one year in operation, the school board closed the school in 1927.[2] Two years later, the college was re-established as a separate entity.[3] In 1932, following a special election, Scottsbluff Junior College was officially made a public college.[4]
In 1968, the college officially changed its name to Nebraska Western College. Additionally, the college announced the construction of a new multi-purpose main building, which opened the following year.[5] The college became Scottsbluff's only non-parochial institution of higher education after privateHiram Scott College shut down in 1971.[6] That same year, theNebraska State Legislature passed a bill creating eight technical community college areas. The college was added to the Western Nebraska Technical Community College Area in 1973.[7]
In 1982, the college purchased the Alliance Vocational School of Practical Nursing, located inAlliance.[8] In 1988, Nebraska Western College merged with Western Nebraska Technical College, located inSidney. The resulting organization became Western Nebraska Community College, which began operations in July of that same year.[9]
In 2017, the college began renovations of their main campus. Additionally, a new performing arts theater, learning commons, and welcome center also began construction.[10] Construction was completed in 2019.[11]
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55% | ||
| Hispanic | 27% | ||
| Asian | 1% | ||
| Native American | 2% | ||
| Black | 3% | ||
| International student | 9% | ||
| Unknown | 3% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[a] | 45% | ||
| Affluent[b] | 55% | ||
Western Nebraska Community College is a public community college. As of 2025, 950 students go to the college. The college includes 61 fields of study. Major Fields of Study include Business Administration, Registered Nursing, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Electrical Power and Transmission Installation, and Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.[12]
Western Nebraska Community College's main campus is in Scottsbluff. The college also has campuses inSidney andAlliance. The Scottsbluff campus is also used for administration and sports. The campus in Sidney includes the Aviation Maintenance program and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Alliance campus was the original home of the nursing school and also includes the Power line & Construction Maintenance program.[13]
