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Moses Lake, WA · Bellingham, WA
| Big Bend Community College | Whatcom Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $12,210/yr | $11,795/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,060/yr | $9,814/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $9,166 | $10,643 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,464/yr | $10,010/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $14,011/yr | $12,411/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,076/yr | $17,032/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $19,828/yr | $19,441/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $97/mo | $113/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $17,310/yr | $17,982/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,310/yr | $17,310/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0.4% |
| Books & supplies | $528/yr | $528/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,746/yr | $3,624/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $21,661/yr | $19,672/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $5,059/yr | $5,115/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $5,619/yr | $11,037/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 35% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 6.8% | 5.3% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 42% | 36% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $43,814/yr | $44,092/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $25,142–$62,776 | $24,360–$69,902 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 49% | 50% |
| White students graduating | 47% | 36% |
| Black students graduating | No data reported | 0% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 33% | 41% |
| Asian students graduating | 67% | 40% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $35,267/yr | $38,429/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 62% | 57% |
| Pell students who graduate | 36% | 37% |
| First-gen students who finish | 25% | 26% |
| Low-income students who finish | 23% | 27% |
| Students who transfer out | 12% | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $40,037/yr | $41,372/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 34% · Mechanic & Repair Technologies 22% · Education 13% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 43% · Health Professions 17% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 34% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 43% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Mechanic & Repair Technologies — 22% of degrees | Health Professions — 17% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Education — 13% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 12% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Transportation & Materials Moving — 7% of degrees | Education — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $79,826/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $82,805/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 3.9% | 12% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,272 | 2,378 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $9,944/mo | $10,799/mo |
| Full-time professors | 97% | 100% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $24,000 | $19,256 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | City (small) |
| Location | Moses Lake, WA | Bellingham, WA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | 1962 | 1967 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.9% | 1% |
| Men | 39% | 43% |
| Women | 61% | 57% |
| White students | 34% | 48% |
| Black students | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 52% | 17% |
| Asian students | 0.7% | 5.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.5% | 7.5% |
| Other / not reported | 7.3% | 19% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 53% | 41% |
| Part-time students | 28% | 45% |
| Students age 25+ | 26% | 27% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,570/yr | $10,857/yr |
| Endowment | $3.7M | $10.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 200 | 230 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $3,450/yr | $9,450/yr |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NWAC | NWAC |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 7 | 5 |
| Student athletes | 164 | 96 |
| Athletic scholarships | $203,194 | $140,879 |
| Athletics budget | $1.5M | $500,026 |
| Athletics revenue | $1.8M | $500,026 |
| Recruiting spend | $14,000 | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.