Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. Big Bend Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Bellingham Technical College in Bellingham, WA with Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Bellingham Technical College is larger than Big Bend Community College based on total student enrollment (2,047 students vs. 1,857 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Bellingham Technical College is located in Bellingham, WA (Small City setting); Big Bend Community College is in Moses Lake, WA (Remote Town setting).
• Bellingham Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Big Bend Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Bellingham Technical College 24:1; Big Bend Community College 17:1.

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. Big Bend Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute or Big Bend Community College? 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 Bellingham Technical College than Big Bend Community College ($8,294 vs. $14,474).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Bellingham Technical College and Big Bend Community College ($17,310).
• Big Bend Community College is 14.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute (about $628 more per year; $5,059.00 vs. $4,431.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.4% higher at Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute than at Big Bend Community College (about $190 more per year; $5,809.00 vs. $5,619.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Big Bend Community College than at Bellingham Technical College (77% vs. 52%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Bellingham Technical College students is 6.2% larger than aid received by Big Bend Community College students ($8,030 vs. $7,561).

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. Big Bend Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute or Big Bend Community College? 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 Big Bend Community College and Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute - Open admission; Big Bend Community College - Open admission.

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. Big Bend Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute and Big Bend Community College? 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 Bellingham Technical College earn a median of about $5,500 more per year than Big Bend Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,500 vs. $38,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Big Bend Community College graduates have a $3,540 lower median loan debt than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates ($10,960 vs. $14,500).
• Among borrowers, Big Bend Community College graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates ($113 vs. $149).
• More Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Big Bend Community College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 36%)

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.