The institution was originally founded in 1967 in Sacramento, California, as the Northwest College of Medical Assistants and Dental Assistants. The college was established to meet the education needs of the local healthcare community.
In 1969, the College was purchased and underwent its first name change, to "Western College of Allied Health Careers – A Bryman School." The Education Corporation of America ("EdCOA, Inc.") purchased the college in 1983 and changed its name to Western Career College (WCC). In 1986, WCC opened a second campus in the Bayfair Center in San Leandro, California. The third campus opened in 1997 in Pleasant Hill, California.
WCC earned regional accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in June 2001.
In December 2003, U.S. Education Corporation, a California-based company, acquired Western Career College. The U.S. Education Corporation also acquired Apollo College, which was founded by Margaret M Carlson in 1975 in Phoenix, Arizona to prepare graduates for careers in skilled professions.[6] The U.S. Education Corporation was led by president and chief executive officer George Montgomery from 2002 to 2011. The college expanded in August 2005 by incorporating the operations and programs of Silicon Valley College (SVC).
In September 2008, U.S. Education Corporation became a division of DeVry Inc. In 2010, Western Career College changed its name to Carrington College California and Apollo College changed its name to Carrington College.
President Montgomery retired at the end of 2011 and was succeeded as president of the group by Robert Paul, DeVry University's vice president for metro operations. In 2012, under Paul's leadership, the institution's mascots, Blue and Goldie, were developed.[4] In 2014, Paul succeeded David Pauldine as president of DeVry University and was succeeded as president of Carrington College Group by Jeff Akens. Previously, Akens had served as president of Carrington College California from 2007 to 2014 and had been with the institution since 1993.
In 2014, Carrington College California received approval under the ACCJC/WASC accreditation to add the Carrington College campuses to its existing network, resulting in one consolidated institution called Carrington College.
