Whatcom Community College

  • Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited two-year college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve nearly 11,000 students annually. On its 72-acre campus in Bellingham, Wash., and through online courses, Whatcom offers transfer degrees, professional-technical training programs, as well as basic education, job skills, and Community & Continuing Education classes. According to the Aspen Institute (2016), WCC is rated among the top nine community and technical colleges in the state and recognized as one of the leading community colleges in the nation. Established in 1967, Whatcom has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1976.

School Highlights

Whatcom Community College serves 2,719 students (58% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 8:1 is lower than the state community college average of 11:1.
Minority enrollment is 39% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 50%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 2,719 students
  • In-state tuition: $4,031
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 39%
  • Source: Verified school update

School Overview

The teacher population of 350 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Whatcom Community College
(WA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
Less than 2 yrs
Four or more years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
350 staff
353 staff
This chart display total faculty of Whatcom Community College and community college average number of faculty in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Whatcom Community College has declined by 34% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 8:1 has decreased from 12:1 over five years.
The Whatcom Community College diversity score of 0.60 is less than the state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
2,719 students
4,003 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Whatcom Community College and community college average number of enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
8:1
11:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Whatcom Community College and community college average student staff ratio of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
1,567 students
2,116 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Whatcom Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
1,152 students
1,887 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Whatcom Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Whatcom Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of WA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
291 students
384 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
1,567 students
2,116 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Whatcom Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
11 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
n/a
1,887 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
140 students
This chart display the dormitory capacity of Whatcom Community College and the community college average dormitory capacity of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Asian
5%
8%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
11%
14%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
1%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
61%
50%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of White community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
7%
8%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
6%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Whatcom Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
8%
7%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Whatcom Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in WA.
Diversity Score
0.60
0.71
This chart display the diversity score of Whatcom Community College and the community college average diversity score of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
31%
30%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Whatcom Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of WA by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
1.93%
2.2%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$36,200
$36,400
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Whatcom Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of WA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $4,031 is less than the state average of $4,105. The in-state tuition has declined by 9% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$4,031
$4,105
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Whatcom Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Tuition Notes
Includes tuition onl
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
65%
67%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Whatcom Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,917
$11,794
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Whatcom Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$6,055
$6,292
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Whatcom Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%

Sports

Total Sports Offered
3 sports
Sports
Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
4 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Student clubs and activities

Arts and Music Programs:
Choir and drama programs

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Clubs and intramural sports teams
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited two-year college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve nearly 11,000 students annually. On its 72-acre campus in Bellingham, Wash., and through online courses, Whatcom offers transfer degrees, professional-technical training programs, as well as basic education, job skills, and Community & Continuing Education classes. According to the Aspen Institute (2016),WCC is rated among the top nine community and technical colleges in the state and recognized as one of the leading community colleges in the nation. Established in 1967, Whatcomhas been accredited by theNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universitiessince 1976.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Whatcom Community College cost?
Whatcom Community College's tuition is approximately $4,031 for In-State students.
What sports does Whatcom Community College offer?
Whatcom Community College offers 3 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Soccer and Volleyball.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 2,719 students
  • In-state tuition: $4,031
  • Student:teacher ratio: 8:1
  • Minority enrollment: 39%
  • Source: Verified school update

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Washington public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,105 per year for in-state students and $7,359 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $19,532 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Washington community colleges have a diversity score of 0.71, which is higher than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Washington is Highline College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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