Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) was established in 1964 as Northern Virginia Technical College to serve the eighth planning district. A statewide technical college system was established with 23 regions under legislation enacted by the Virginia General Assembly.

The College opened for classes in the fall of 1965 in a single building in Bailey's Crossroads. Enrollment was 761 students who were served by a faculty and staff of 46. Robert W. McKee was the first president.
The College was renamed Northern Virginia Community College in 1966 when the General Assembly changed the name of the technical college system to the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). College transfer curricula were added to the existing occupational/technical curricula for a more comprehensive program.

In 1966, the College bought 78 acres in Annandale, which became the first of five permanent campus sites. The first building was constructed there and opened in 1967. That same year 100-acre sites were purchased for campuses in Sterling, Manassas, and Woodbridge. In 1969, a campus site was purchased for Alexandria.

Classes were first offered in Loudoun, Manassas, and Woodbridge in the fall of 1972. Classes moved from Bailey’s Crossroads to the Alexandria Campus in 1973. The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) began offering home study courses in January 1975 and has developed into a leader in distance education, serving more than 100,000 students since its inception.
Dr. Richard J. Ernst became the second president of the College in September 1968 and served for thirty years. Dr. Belle S. Wheelan became the third president of the College in July 1998.

The College has grown rapidly in enrollment and programs. By 1970, enrollment was more than 10,000 students. By 1973, NVCC became the largest institution of higher education in Virginia with 17,260 students. During 2002, the College served 65,000 students in credit courses and over 250,000 students in non-credit courses and public service activities.