C+
Above Average
Score: 56/100
Overall (traditional)
C
Outcome Rating
47/100 · earnings-weighted

Whatcom Community College

4-Year Public
📍 Bellingham, Washington 98226
Whatcom Community College campus, Bellingham, WA
Whatcom Community College campus, Bellingham, WA. Photo: Katyg, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
C
53/100
Affordability
B
70/100
Resources
B
68/100
Experience
B
71/100
Prestige
F
23/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

3,490
Total Enrollment
36%
Graduation Rate
N/A
Retention Rate
12.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$11,629
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Whatcom Community College ▼

39% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$654,436
Avg Monthly Rent
$2,038
1-Year Change
+2.6%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Whatcom Community College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$44,092
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$38,429
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$10,643
Median debt at graduation
36.4%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
20.6%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 24% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 51st percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (WA wage index 1.18). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Whatcom Community College

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$82,805$88,410+9%#217 of 962#562—
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services$44,573$51,485+22%#117 of 476#234—
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$27,020$39,888-10%#696 of 947#849$9,726

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Whatcom Community College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $654,436
  • Avg rent near campus: $2,038/mo — vs ~$1,050/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 98295 (2.7% cap, Sumas)

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🏆 Where Whatcom Community College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#5
Physical Therapy Assistant
of 44 schools
#10
Network and System Administration/Administrator
of 45 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $3,633 $9,049
Room $9,450
Total Cost (On-Campus) $29,080 $35,030

Financial Aid

57%
Receive Any Aid
34%
Receive Pell Grants
7%
Take Out Loans
$11,629
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$8,666
$30,001 - $48,000$8,510
$48,001 - $75,000$11,745
$75,001 - $110,000$17,893
$110,001+$15,888

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 417 grads/yr Early Childhood Education and Teaching 55 grads/yr Network and System Administration/Administrator 55 grads/yr Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 54 grads/yr Business/Commerce, General 53 grads/yr Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 43 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 37 grads/yr Physical Therapy Assistant 32 grads/yr Child Development 25 grads/yr Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 24 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 23 grads/yr Banking and Financial Support Services 17 grads/yr Medical/Clinical Assistant 16 grads/yr Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage 13 grads/yr Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design 12 grads/yr Legal Assistant/Paralegal 8 grads/yr Physical Sciences, General 7 grads/yr Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling 6 grads/yr Computer Support Specialist 6 grads/yr Mechanical Engineering 5 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Whatcom Community College's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
Education teachers, postsecondary
$72k/yr 74,900 jobs
Elementary school teachers, except special education
$62k/yr 1,422,700 jobs
Kindergarten teachers, except special education
$61k/yr 117,200 jobs
Preschool teachers, except special education
$37k/yr 555,100 jobs
Computer and information systems managers
$171k/yr 667,100 jobs
Computer network architects
$130k/yr 179,200 jobs
Information security analysts
$125k/yr 182,800 jobs

Student Demographics

3,490
Total Students
56%
Women
51%
Traditional Age (18-24)
39%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 52%
Hispanic 13%
Black 2%
Asian 6%
Two or More 7%
Non-Resident 2%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 12%
Off-Campus (Renters) 39%
With Family 49%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~1,375 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 35%
Hybrid (Some Online) 30%
Fully Online 35%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 51%
25-64 (Adult) 26%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Whatcom Community College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Whatcom Community College?
Tuition at Whatcom Community College is $3,633 for in-state students and $9,049 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $11,629.
What is the graduation rate at Whatcom Community College?
The graduation rate at Whatcom Community College is 36%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is Whatcom Community College a good school?
Whatcom Community College has a Repit College Score of 56/100 (Grade: C+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (B): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Whatcom Community College?
Whatcom Community College has a total enrollment of 3,490 students.
Is there rental demand near Whatcom Community College?
Yes! Approximately 39% of students at Whatcom Community College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 1,375 students who need rental housing near campus. This represents significant rental demand, which affects housing availability and pricing in the Bellingham area.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Whatcom Community College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Whatcom Community College

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

C+
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA · 8,796 students
C+
Columbia Basin College
Pasco, WA · 6,729 students
C+
Everett Community College
Everett, WA · 6,211 students
C+
Olympic College
Bremerton, WA · 5,413 students
C+
Yakima Valley College
Yakima, WA · 3,523 students
C+
Green River College
Auburn, WA · 7,361 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology