Together the colleges form the second largest institution of higher education in the state,[3] behind the University of Washington, to which many of their graduates transfer.

The district's origins can be traced to 1902, with the opening of Broadway High School[4] on Capitol Hill.

Edison started offering college-level courses 21 years later, and it was reconstituted as Seattle Community College in September 1966.

[11] The chief executive officer of Seattle Colleges District is the chancellor.

[12] Seattle Colleges is governed by a board of trustees appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate.