The Portland Community College was founded in 1961 as an adult education program for the local public school system. In 1968 voters approved the establishment of an independent district for the college.

The College has three main campuses, which are larger facilities offering two-year degrees and a wide range of typical student services:
Cascade campus, opened in 1971 and located in the heart of North Portland;
Rock Creek suburban campus opened in 1976 near Hillsboro;
Sylvania, opened in 1968 in the Far Southwest neighbourhood of Portland and serves more than 26,000 students annually.

With variety of academic options students can earn the training, degree or certificate they need to get a rewarding career really fast or they can earn credits that transfer to a four-year university. The Portland Community College offers a great variety of programs and classes that completely suits the requirements of different audiences: Traditional College Programs: University transfer, dual enrollment and Career and Technical Education programs varying from one term to two years; Continuing Education; Community Education; Adult Basic Skills and Pre-College Programs International Programs; CLIMB Center for Advancement and the PCC Foundation.

Financial Aid
The Financial Aid Office personnel is committed to provide quality service, financial aid information and access to financial aid assistance for eligible students of PCC. Financial aid is available through grants, scholarships, loans, work-study or a combination of these institutional, federal and state aid programs for students of PCC. Funds are available to help with education costs, including tuition and fees, living expenses, books and supplies.