Hibbing was one of the first cities in the nation to expand educational opportunities by opening a two-year college in 1916. Thus, Hibbing Community College is one of the country's oldest two-year colleges.

Over time, Hibbing Community College has evolved, changed, merged, moved and grown. Eleven students attended the first and only course offered in 1916 at Hibbing Junior College -- later known as Hibbing State Junior College and then as Hibbing Community College. Campus locations changed three times -- from North Hibbing, to the west wing of Hibbing High School and finally to its current location.

The Hibbing Area Vocational Technical Institute was established in 1962. It fulfilled a need to provide post-secondary vocational opportunities for high school graduates and miners impacted by the 'boom and bust' cycles on the Iron Range. The institution was renamed Hibbing Area Vocational Technical Institute in 1987 and upon merger with its Eveleth sister campus in 1992 was renamed to form Range Technical College.

Merger of Hibbing Community College and Range Technical College resulted in campus buildings spread across nearly one-third of a mile. The college's co-location project, completed in 2001, resulted in the building of a new addition to the campus to house disciplines once housed at the Range Technical College locations. The new unified campus better supports HCC's educational mission and enriches the lives of all who study and work here. The new facility is truly a campus for the 21st century.

In 2004, Hibbing Community College joined the Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District (NHED), a group of two-year technical, community and consolidated colleges in Minnesota's Arrowhead region, including Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids ; Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia; Rainy River Community College in International Falls; and Vermilion Community College located in Ely. Joined together under one President and governance structure, HCC now, more than ever, effectively serves the life-long learning needs of the people of this region.

The Hibbing Community College Fact Book provides general statistical and descriptive information about the college which may be useful to those engaged in planning, assessment, preparing reports, writing grant proposals or other endeavors within the college.