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Olympia, WA · Bellingham, WA
| South Puget Sound Community College | Whatcom Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $9,132/yr | $11,795/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,757/yr | $9,814/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $11,000 | $10,643 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $8,765/yr | $10,010/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,655/yr | $12,411/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $11,781/yr | $17,032/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $16,766/yr | $19,441/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $117/mo | $113/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | No data reported | $17,982/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,310/yr | $17,310/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0.4% |
| Books & supplies | $900/yr | $528/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | No data reported | $3,624/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $17,888/yr | $19,672/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $5,252/yr | $5,115/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $5,813/yr | $11,037/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 22% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 4.9% | 5.3% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 44% | 36% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $45,039/yr | $44,092/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $26,123–$66,925 | $24,360–$69,902 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 45% | 50% |
| White students graduating | 47% | 36% |
| Black students graduating | 26% | 0% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 26% | 41% |
| Asian students graduating | 58% | 40% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $37,270/yr | $38,429/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 56% | 57% |
| Pell students who graduate | 31% | 37% |
| First-gen students who finish | 29% | 26% |
| Low-income students who finish | 29% | 27% |
| Students who transfer out | 16% | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $40,105/yr | $41,372/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 56% · Business, Management & Marketing 10% · Health Professions 8% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 43% · Health Professions 17% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 56% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 43% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 10% of degrees | Health Professions — 17% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Health Professions — 8% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Education — 7% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees | Education — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $69,107/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $82,805/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 11% | 12% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,075 | 2,378 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $9,271/mo | $10,799/mo |
| Full-time professors | 92% | 100% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $18,874 | $19,256 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (small) |
| Location | Olympia, 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: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1.8% | 1% |
| Men | 40% | 43% |
| Women | 60% | 57% |
| White students | 45% | 48% |
| Black students | 5% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 17% | 17% |
| Asian students | 6.9% | 5.9% |
| Two or more races | 11% | 7.5% |
| Other / not reported | 14% | 19% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 43% | 41% |
| Part-time students | 42% | 45% |
| Students age 25+ | 32% | 27% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,755/yr | $10,857/yr |
| Endowment | $14.9M | $10.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | No data reported | 230 |
| Required to live on campus | No data reported | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | No data reported | $9,450/yr |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | 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 | No | 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 | 93 | 96 |
| Athletic scholarships | $141,178 | $140,879 |
| Athletics budget | $870,782 | $500,026 |
| Athletics revenue | $870,782 | $500,026 |
| Recruiting spend | $3,880 | $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.