Whatcom Community College

whatcom.edu

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    2024 Undergraduate Tuition
    $3,742
    3% growth from 2023
    2024 Average Net Price
    $13,116
    After Financial Aid
    2022 Default Rate
    0.469%
    on Student Loans
    2024 Enrolled Students
    3,674
    50.5% Full-Time
    2024 Graduation Rate
    36.4%
    111 Graduates

    About

    Whatcom Community College is a higher education institution located in Whatcom County, WA. In 2024, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at Whatcom Community College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (417 degrees awarded), General Business (53 degrees), and Registered Nursing (37 degrees).

    In 2024, 928 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Whatcom Community College. 61.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 38.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (547 degrees), 5.11 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (107 degrees).

    The median undergraduate tuition at Whatcom Community College is $3,742, which is $−6,853 less than the national average for Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges ($10,595).

    In 2022 the default rate for borrower's at Whatcom Community College was 0.469%, corresponding to 1 out of the 213 total borrowers.

    Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges: Associates DominantBaccalaureate/Associates Colleges

    Costs

    In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Whatcom Community College is $3,742, which is $6,853 less than the national average for Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges ($10,595).

    After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,116.

    In 2024, 33% of undergraduate students attending Whatcom Community College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 5% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

    Tuition Costs

    $3,742
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition

    In 2024, the cost of tuition at Whatcom Community College was $3,742. The cost of tuition at Whatcom Community College is $−6,853 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges ($10,595).

    This chart compares the tuition costs of Whatcom Community College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

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    Average Net Price

    $13,116
    2024 Value
    12.8%
    1 Year Growth

    In 2024 Whatcom Community College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,116. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Whatcom Community College grew by 12.8%.

    This chart compares the average net price of Whatcom Community College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

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    Other Student Expenses

    $18,645
    Room and Board
    $762
    Books and Supplies

    The average yearly cost of room and board at Whatcom Community College was of $18,645 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 3.86% between 2023 and 2024.

    During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $762. The cost of books and supplies increased by 8.55% during the same period.

    This chart compares the average student costs at Whatcom Community College (in red) with that of similar universities.

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    Financial Aid by Income Level

    33%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
    5%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

    33% of undergraduate students at Whatcom Community College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 17.5% with respect to 2023, when 40% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

    This chart compares the average award discount at Whatcom Community College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

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    Student Loan Default Rate

    Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.
    0.469%
    2022 Default Rate
    1
    Number of Defaults

    In 2022 the default rate for borrower's at Whatcom Community College was 0.469%, which represents 1 out of the 213 total borrowers.

    A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

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    Enrollment

    Whatcom Community College had a total enrollment of 3,674 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Whatcom Community College is 1,856 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,818. This means that 50.5% of students enrolled at Whatcom Community College are enrolled full-time.

    The enrolled student population at Whatcom Community College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 46.5% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, 7.02% Two or More Races, 5.69% Asian, 1.74% Black or African American, 0.599% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.163% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

    Students enrolled at Whatcom Community College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (26.5%), followed by White Male (19.6%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8%).

    Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

    50.5%
    Full-Time Enrollment

    The total enrollment at Whatcom Community College in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 3,674 students. The full-time enrollment at Whatcom Community College is 1,856 and the part-time enrollment is 1,818. This means that 50.5% of students enrolled at Whatcom Community College are enrolled full-time compared with 38.3% at similar Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges.

    This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Whatcom Community College (in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

    Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      1,709 enrolled students
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      552 enrolled students
    3. Two or More Races
      258 enrolled students

    The enrolled student population at Whatcom Community College is 46.5% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, 7.02% Two or More Races, 5.69% Asian, 1.74% Black or African American, 0.599% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.163% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges is 35% White, 33.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 11.8% Black or African American.

    Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 829 students (22.6%) did not report their race.

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    Graduates

    In 2024, 214 more women than men received degrees from Whatcom Community College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Whatcom Community College is white (547 degrees awarded). There were 5.11 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (107 degrees).

    The most common Associates Degree concentration at Whatcom Community College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (417 degrees awarded), followed by General Business (53 degrees) and Registered Nursing (37 degrees).

    In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at Whatcom Community College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Liberal Arts & Humanities (417 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (12 degrees), and Human Sciences (25 degrees).

    Common Jobs by Major

    Elementary & middle school teachers
    Most Common Job

    The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,543,240 people), Software developers (641,893 people), Secondary school teachers (477,674 people), Education administrators (267,847 people), and Other managers (216,423 people).

    The most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College in 2024 are Liberal Arts & Humanities (417 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (12 degrees), Human Sciences (25 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (91 degrees), and Education (55 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Highest Paying Jobs by Major

    Surgeons
    Highest Paying Job

    The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College are Surgeons, Agents & business managers of artists, performers, & athletes, Correspondence clerks & order clerks, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

    The most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College are Liberal Arts & Humanities (417 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (12 degrees), Human Sciences (25 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (91 degrees), and Education (55 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Common Industries by Major

    Elementary & secondary schools
    Most Common Industry

    The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College are Elementary & secondary schools (2,833,697 people), Computer Systems Design (672,520 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (318,015 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (203,176 people), and Child day care services (121,603 people).

    The most specialized majors at Whatcom Community College are Liberal Arts & Humanities (417 degrees awarded), Communication Technologies (12 degrees), Human Sciences (25 degrees), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (91 degrees), and Education (55 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Majors Awarded

    IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Whatcom Community College.
    Most Common (2024)
    1. Massage Therapy
      13 degrees awarded
    2. Medical Assistant
      5 degrees awarded
    3. Early Childhood Education & Teaching
      4 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Whatcom Community College was Massage Therapy with 13 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Whatcom Community College according to their major.

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    Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

    357
    Degrees Awarded to Men
    in 2024
    571
    Degrees Awarded to Women
    in 2024

    In 2024, 357 degrees were awarded to men at Whatcom Community College, which is 0.625 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (571).

    This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Whatcom Community College by degrees awarded.

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    Most Common Male Majors

    In 2024, 164 degrees were awarded to men at Whatcom Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.648 times less than the 253 female recipients with that same degree.

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    Most Common Female Majors

    In 2024, 253 degrees were awarded to men at Whatcom Community College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.54 times more than the 164 male recipients with that same degree.

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    Time to Complete

    18%
    100% Completion Time
    33%
    150% Completion Time

    In 2016, 18% of students graduating from Whatcom Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 33% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 37% within 200%.

    The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

    Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Share

    Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      547 degrees awarded
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      107 degrees awarded
    3. Asian
      63 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity at Whatcom Community College is white (547 degrees awarded). There were 5.11 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (107 degrees).

    11.7% of degree recipients (109 students) did not report their race.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
    1. White Female
      647 degrees awarded
    2. White Female
      568 degrees awarded
    3. White Female
      566 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Whatcom Community College is white female (647 degrees awarded). There were 1.14 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (568 degrees).

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    Operations

    Whatcom Community College has an endowment valued at nearly $10.5M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 467k (4.46%) compared to the 9.49% average return (1.27M on 13.4M) across all Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges.

    In 2024, Whatcom Community College had a total salary expenditure of 63.6M. Whatcom Community College employs 92 No academic ranks. Most academics at Whatcom Community College are Female No academic rank (54), and Male No academic rank (38).

    The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Whatcom Community College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 54 employees, Management, with 51 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 36 employees.

    Endowment

    $10.5M
    2024 Endowment
    12.2%
    growth from 2023

    Whatcom Community College has an endowment valued at about $10.5M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Whatcom Community College grew 12.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $2.94M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

    This line chart shows how the endowment at Whatcom Community College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

    The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges: Associates Dominant Carnegie Classification grouping.

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    Government Grants and Contracts

    Grants & Contracts
    1. $4.5M - Federal
    2. $1.7M - State
    3. $6.86M - Local

    As of 2024, Whatcom Community College received $4.5M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.7M from state grants and contracts, and $6.86M from local grants and contracts.

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    Salary Expenditure

    $29M
    2024 Salaries
    8.74%
    growth from 2023

    In 2024, Whatcom Community College paid a median of $29M in salaries, which represents 45.6% of their overall expenditure ($63.6M) and a 8.74% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 3.03% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 6.74% growth between 2021 and 2022.

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    Instructional Salaries

    $8.94M
    Instructional Salaries
    92
    Number of Employees

    In 2024, Whatcom Community College paid a total of $8.94M to 92 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.9% of all salaries paid.

    This is compared to a median of $744k (3.92%) for similar Baccalaureate/Associates Colleges.

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    Occupations by Share

    In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Whatcom Community College were Office and Administrative Support with 54 employees, Management with 51 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 36 employees.

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