Rock Valley College was founded in 1964 to allow students from the region in and around Rockford Public School District No.

[7][8] In July 1964 the higher education master plan was published by the IBHE, which led to the Junior College Act of 1965.

[9] In April 1965, Clifford G. Erickson was chosen by the first Board of Trustees to be the first President of Rock Valley College, and classes began on September 29, 1965, for 1,054 students.

[12] The next year, the college took over the Adult and Continuing Education program from the Rockford School District, offering personal enrichment and professional development classes to the public.

[10] The Tech Center opened in 1987,[16] helping with a cooperative education agreement reached the previous year with Chrysler Motor Corporation that allowed workers to take technology courses that went toward job training for the Belvidere plant as well as college credit.

Under his leadership, the Student Center was remodeled, the Support Services Building (SSB) was built, and the state of the art Bengt Sjostrom Theatre with its retractable roof was unveiled.

[10] Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, Illinois Senator Dave Syverson, Larry Young, author Kimberla Lawson Roby, illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, and chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke, are members of the college alumni.

[19][20][21][22] Rock Valley College is located on a 217-acre (0.88 km2) tract of land at Mulford and Spring Brook roads in northeast Rockford.

Rock Valley College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to offer certificates, diplomas and associate degrees.

It has facilities for study, research, leisure reading, class preparation, and wireless Internet access for students.

[6] Due to funding and attendance issues, the RVC Board of Trustees voted to discontinue the football program on April 28, 2009.

Plans to relocate them from "the barn" to a new Arts Instructional Center (AIC) with modern amenities have been tabled by the college's board of trustees.