BC- Bellevue College vs. NCA

Comparable Facts

Compare Bellevue College in Bellevue, WA with Northwest College of Art & Design in Tacoma, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Bellevue College is larger than NCA based on total student enrollment (12,485 students vs. 139 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Bellevue College is located in Bellevue, WA (Midsize City setting); Northwest College of Art & Design is in Tacoma, WA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Bellevue College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Northwest College of Art & Design is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Bellevue College 14:1; Northwest College of Art & Design 34:1.

BC- Bellevue College vs. NCA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC- Bellevue College or NCA? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bellevue College than NCA ($13,932 vs. $14,818).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest College of Art & Design are 11.1% lower than at Bellevue College ($15,384 vs. $17,310).
• Northwest College of Art & Design is 308% more expensive for in-state tuition than BC- Bellevue College (about $13,664 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $4,436.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 72.3% higher at NCA than at Bellevue College (about $7,598 more per year; $18,100.00 vs. $10,502.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwest College of Art & Design than at Bellevue College (87% vs. 37%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest College of Art & Design students is 116.6% larger than aid received by Bellevue College students ($14,406 vs. $6,650).

BC- Bellevue College vs. NCA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC- Bellevue College or NCA? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between NCA and BC- Bellevue College.

• Bellevue College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC- Bellevue College - Open admission; NCA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: BC- Bellevue College Sep 15, 2026.

BC- Bellevue College vs. NCA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC- Bellevue College and NCA? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Bellevue College earn a median of about $18,900 more per year than NCA graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,500 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Bellevue College graduates have a $19,667 lower median loan debt than NCA graduates ($11,333 vs. $31,000).
• Among borrowers, BC- Bellevue College graduates have an estimated $203 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NCA graduates ($117 vs. $320).
• More BC- Bellevue College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NCA students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.