College of Southern Nevada

The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) has been the backbone of the state’s dynamic growth and prosperity since 1971, when the college first opened its doors to 402 students. Since that time, CSN has grown along with Southern Nevada and now has more than 43,000 students. With the recent downturn in the economy, CSN has seen unprecedented growth as the community looks to the college to be the economic diversification engine the Las Vegas Valley needs during these uncertain times.

With multiple locations and flexible class schedules, CSN is the community’s college, offering students affordable courses that transfer to other four-year institutions, smaller class sizes, faculty that are leaders in their fields, personal enrichment, and customized workforce/employee training for local business and industry.

The college employs over 2,800 people while operating three main campuses and multiple academic centers and sites throughout the Southern Nevada area. CSN provides more than 3,000 courses per semester in more than 120 fields of study, including more than 25 degree and certificate programs that are entirely online. To meet demand to develop public health administrators and college faculty in dental hygiene, CSN also awards a four-year baccalaureate degree in addition to its nationally recognized associate degree program in dental hygiene.

The college, its students, faculty and staff contribute $1.6 billion to the regional economy, according to an analysis of CSN’s socioeconomic benefits conducted by CCbenefits, Inc. That study shows CSN students receive an annual rate of return of 19.5 percent on their educational investment. For every dollar invested in education, students receive a cumulative return of $5.50. For every dollar taxpayers invest in CSN, they receive a cumulative return of $3.60.
In addition to being the largest college in Nevada, CSN is also the most ethnically diverse higher education institution, with no ethnic majority, and is working hand-in-hand with Nevada’s growing Latino community and other minority populations to provide access to job training and general education credits.

Other major recent achievements include: three Community College High Schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the best in the nation. These high schools in addition to other excellent K-12 collaborative programs allow students to graduate with an associate’s degree or college credit and high school diploma at the same time.

The college also boasts a national champion NJCAA baseball team, an equally competitive softball team and a number of student organizations, such as the Culinary Hot Food team, that regularly compete at a national level.

CSN programs reflect the latest educational developments in public and private sector professions. An overwhelming majority of students in surveys testified to the value of CSN’s hallmarks: talented faculty, small classes, individual attention, student success services and schooling relevant to career and job skills demanded by commerce and industry.

These hallmarks in addition to a successful and aggressive, non-credit CSN Division of Workforce and Economic Development, which works with external organizations, businesses and industry to meet unique training needs and foster economic diversification, is improving employee productivity and the region’s prosperity. The division’s site is also where residents can find out more about exciting community personal enrichment courses.