[4] From 1987 to 1993, one of its buildings by the El train (albeit with its sign still reading Loop College) was visible in the opening credits of the ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers.

HWC as a community college offers two year "Associates" degrees in a wide variety of majors and provides transfer assistance to local four-year upper division colleges and universities.

Harold Washington College was the only site in the City of Chicago for taxicab driver certification but now[when?]

functions as the center of business, entrepreneurship and professional services for all of the City Colleges of Chicago.

In 2013, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognized Harold Washington College's assessments of student learning outcomes, which have influenced course sequencing, pre-requisites, teaching strategies, faculty development and institutional policies, with the 2013 CHEA Award for Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning Outcomes.