On September 23, 1963, the largest first-day enrollment for a community college in the nation's history took place at Tri-C's first home — the 19th-century Brownell School building in downtown Cleveland, leased from the Cleveland Board of Education. The initial enrollment was just over 3,000 students. Today, Tri-C serves more than 42,000 credit and noncredit students each year.
Now the largest community college in Ohio, Tri-C serves students at four modern campuses in downtown Cleveland, Parma, Highland Hills and Westlake, along with Corporate College® locations in Warrensville Heights and Westlake. Additional facilities include the District Administrative Offices and the Manufacturing Technology Center near the Metropolitan Campus.
The 50,000-square-foot KeyBank Advanced Technology Training Center (ATTC) provides high-bay labs, advanced equipment and industry-driven training for in-demand careers, while the Transportation Innovation Center in Euclid delivers hands-on learning for the rapidly evolving transportation and mobility sector.
Eastern Campus
Since 1971, the Eastern Campus has served students who want to complete their first two years of college in a high-quality educational environment, as well as those seeking a direct route to a job with a family-sustaining wage.
Located just off I-271 in Highland Hills, the Eastern Campus features Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees for students wishing to transfer to a four-year institution. The campus has partnerships with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities, offering more than 400 pathways to earn a four-year degree.
The campus offers a number of programs, including Nursing, Information Technology, Massage Therapy, Sport and Exercise Studies, Visual Communication and Design, and an award-winning Plant Science and Landscape Technology program. The Eastern Campus is also home to the College's Interior Design program.
The campus provides a strong support system for students throughout their college experience through Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, the Counseling Center, the Career Marketplace, the Student Success team, the Learning Commons (including the library, tutoring, the Testing Center and technology support), the Writing Center and the Alfred Lerner Veterans Services Center.
The campus also features the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center, which provides a collaborative, problem-based learning environment with a focus on leadership development and community engagement for high-performing students. Additionally, the campus houses the 600-seat Simon and Rose Mandel Theatre and the Gallery East art gallery. Students and community members can also enjoy a healthy lifestyle with a gymnasium, indoor and outdoor tracks, a pool, a dance studio, a fitness center and the Massage Therapy Clinic.
Get directions to the Eastern Campus.
Campus Map: Interactive Campus Map or Downloadable Campus Map
Metropolitan Campus
Opened in 1969, the Metropolitan Campus is Tri-C's first campus. Located near downtown Cleveland in the Campus District, the campus is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 77 and 90. Classes are offered during the day, in the evenings, on weekends and online. The Metropolitan Campus houses outstanding science, engineering and health careers labs. Students learn firsthand in labs similar to those in the work environments for nursing, information technology, manufacturing and recording arts. Newly updated health laboratories on the campus are equipped to replicate the high-end technology students will experience in the work environment for careers in the sciences and health care industry, including dental hygiene, health information management, surgical technology, emergency medical technology, and occupational and physical therapy assisting technology.
The campus boasts a state-of-the-art nursing center where students gain practical experience using advanced tools such as a human patient simulator — a mannequin that mimics human physiology for critical care training. A simulated 22-bed hospital care unit further enhances hands-on learning. The Preventative Care Center (PCC) offers a professional, well-equipped health career classroom, providing affordable services and screenings. Here, students in Medical Assisting, Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physical Therapist Assisting programs gain valuable experience under the supervision of licensed professionals, serving community members, faculty, staff and students 18 and older.
The PCC houses the Care Alliance at Tri-C Wellness Clinic. Providing access to quality, affordable medical care to Tri-C students, staff, faculty and community members. The clinic offers basic preventative care, first aid and health education for all, regardless of their ability to pay. Services operate on a sliding fee scale to ensure accessibility for all. Additionally, the campus houses a Dental Hygiene Clinic, delivering affordable preventive dental care to the college community.
The Gill and Tommy LiPuma Center for Creative Arts showcases local, regional and international talent in music, dance, theater and performance art. It is also home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives. Students in the Recording Arts and Technology program can mix music, record performances and stage productions. The Visual Communication and Design program offers degrees and certificates in fields like graphic design, web and interactive media, photography, digital video, filmmaking, 3D design and animation.
Students with an interest in engineering technology can choose from nine degree programs accredited by the American Society for Engineering Education and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The College also offers a Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Digital Manufacturing Engineering Technology, often referred to as "Smart Manufacturing."
Significant campus improvements include the 2020 renovation of the plazas, featuring welcoming landscapes, walkways, social areas and a central courtyard that integrates the campus with the surrounding community. In January 2018, the Campus Center was reopened after a two-year renovation, providing a central hub for student life. This space includes a food court, study and gathering areas, Early College programming, Public Safety, Student Life, Student Government, conference rooms, event spaces and a bookstore. In November 2022, the Campus Center was named in honor of the College's fourth president, Alex B. Johnson.
The campus also supports students transitioning to four-year institutions through its Transfer Connections Center. This resource helps students navigate the transfer process, ensuring a smooth transition from associate degree completion at Tri-C to further academic pursuits. Students completing an associate degree can also take advantage of the on-campus Transfer Connection Center. The Transfer Connection Center helps students successfully navigate the process from degree completion at Tri-C to a four-year college or university.
Get directions to the Metropolitan Campus.
Map: Interactive Campus Map or downloadable Campus Map
Western Campus
The Western Campus in Parma has served Cleveland's southwest suburbs since 1966, operating in the former Crile Veterans Hospital.
The facilities were replaced in 1975 with a six-building interconnected campus. The sprawling, tree-lined campus offers more than 1,000 day, evening and weekend classes for associate degree programs. Students benefit from industry-standard laboratories and spacious learning environments, such as the Advanced Automotive Technology Center. The KeyBank Public Safety Training Center was completed in Fall 2014. As the only such facility in Northeast Ohio, the center offers the latest in specialized training for EMTs, firefighters and police officers.
The Western Campus provides a full array of student services in the centralized Galleria. These services include the Admissions and Financial Services office, Career Services, the bookstore, a library, computer labs, a cafeteria and a coffee shop. Students and community members also have access to numerous science, health career and technology labs, a 466-seat theater, an indoor pool, a gymnasium, a fitness center, an outdoor track, and athletic fields for soccer, softball and baseball.
The Western Campus offers Encore 55+ Learning, which offers low-cost, noncredit courses developed specifically for individuals over age 55, and Program 60, which allows Ohio residents over age 60 to audit regularly scheduled classes on a tuition-free, space-available basis. Summer camps are offered for children and teens.
With the passage of Issue 61 in the fall of 2018, funds were secured for major campus updates. The College used $7 million to create 15,000 square feet of additional classroom space at the Automotive Technology Center, including additional lifts. It put $34 million toward the STEM addition, which includes 60,000 square feet of classroom space, new science and IT labs, and student study space. Finally, $17 million was used to create the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center Phase II, which includes a scenario-based training and equipment center to meet the needs of a seven-county region.
The 236-acre Western Campus at 11000 Pleasant Valley Road is accessible from Interstates 71, 77 and 480. Greater Cleveland RTA buses provide public transportation services to the campus.
Get directions to the Western Campus.
Map: Interactive Campus Map or downloadable Campus Map
Westshore Campus
The Westshore Campus is committed to meeting the educational needs of the residents of Cleveland’s Westshore communities. The campus is composed of the Health Careers and Sciences building, which opened in 2011, and the Liberal Arts and Technology building, which opened in 2019. The Westshore Campus provides a centralized and full array of services for students to complete associate degrees for transfer to four-year institutions or earn certificates and degrees leading to careers in business and a variety of health careers. The Westshore Campus is a transfer-focused campus with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM), and Associate of Arts and Science programs and degrees.
The Westshore Campus offers a one-stop student services area and a variety of health career programs, as well as courses in liberal arts, business, IT, engineering, nursing, emergency medical technology, creative arts, English as a second language and other subject areas. It offers a Technology Learning Center, a library, food service and dedicated amenities for both veterans and honor students. The campus houses 12 different labs, including STEM, IT and health career labs (featuring a human patient simulator and an anatomage table).
The Westshore Campus has a strong commitment to sustainability, as noted by the LEED Gold status of its initial facility.
The Westshore Campus is easily accessible from Interstates 90 and 480.
Get directions to the Westshore Campus.
Campus Map: Interactive Campus Map or downloadable Campus Map
Brunswick University Center
The Brunswick University Center offers affordable and convenient options for obtaining an education to residents of southern Cuyahoga County and Medina County. An extension of the Western Campus, the Brunswick University Center (BUC) was built in 2011 in Brunswick. Serving Medina County, BUC, located at 3605 Center Road (Route 303), is easily accessible from I-71. It is located next to Brunswick High School. The Brunswick Transit Authority provides public transportation to the center.
At Brunswick University Center, students can take classes to complete an associate degree or earn transfer credits to a four-year institution. The center also offers workforce development, career training and personal enrichment programs for seniors in the community.
Get directions to the Brunswick University Center.
BUC Map: Interactive Map or Downloadable Map
Hospitality Management Center
The Hospitality Management Center (HMC), home to Ohio's oldest Hospitality Program, is located on Public Square in the historic May Co. building in downtown Cleveland. This prime location sits at the heart of Cleveland’s premier hospitality district, surrounded by nationally acclaimed chef-driven restaurants, stunning boutique and destination hotels, and a vibrant mix of dynamic, ever-expanding entertainment venues, just steps away. It’s an environment designed to inspire, immerse, and connect students with the very best the city’s hospitality scene has to offer.
At HMC, step into our next-generation kitchens with cutting-edge equipment and advanced audio-visual capabilities. The HMC experience includes student computer stations, sleek locker rooms, complimentary freshly brewed coffee, and faculty and staff to assist in every step of the journey. The experience extends beyond the classroom to Alere, Hospitality's student-run restaurant located at the Jerry Sue Thornton Center on East 22nd St., where training unfolds in a polished, real-world dining environment.”
Educational programs offered at the Hospitality Management Center include associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Hotel, Destination & Event Management, and stackable certificates in Dietary Management, Event Planning, Food and Beverage Operations, Lodging Rooms Division, Personal Chef, Professional Baking, Professional Culinarian/Cook, and Restaurant Entrepreneurship. Students gain exclusive access to extracurricular experiences across the community, collaborating directly with distinguished industry leaders and elevating their craft through unforgettable, real-world engagements.