Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College opened its dooors in 1915 as a department of Santa Ana High School. With 25 students, it was the second junior college founded in Orange County.

Dana King Hammond was the director of the college for its first 27 years, also serving as the principal for the high school.

In 1933 an earthquake severely damaged the high school structures, forcing the campus to be moved to North Main Street where it remained until 1947. In 1945 a bond issue passed, paving the way for the development of a 48-acre cmpus at the corner of 17th Street and Bristol Avenue.

By 1955 the college had more than 3,000 students, and by 1965 that number had doubled. Today the campus serves more than 25,000 students and the numbers keep growing.

Rancho Santiago Community College District
In 1971, Santa Ana College separated from Santa Ana Unified School District and formed the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD). In addition to Santa Ana, RSCCD sers the communities of Anaheim Hills, Garden Grove, Orange, Tustin, Irvine and Villa Park.

In 1997, the college district's board of trustees voted to become a multi-college district. This new district, established the following year, now includes Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College, Anaheim Hills Center, Criminal Justice Training Center, Garden Grove Center, Marketplace Education Center, Continuing Education, Centennial and Orange Centers and the Regional Fire Training Center.