Big Bend Community College vs. Bates Technical College

Comparable Facts

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

Bates Technical College is larger than Big Bend Community College based on total student enrollment (4,083 students vs. 1,857 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Big Bend Community College is located in Moses Lake, WA (Remote Town setting); Bates Technical College is in Tacoma, WA (Midsize City setting).
• Big Bend Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Bates Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Big Bend Community College 17:1; Bates Technical College 21:1.

Big Bend Community College vs. Bates Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Big Bend Community College or Bates Technical 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 Bates Technical College than Big Bend Community College ($7,963 vs. $14,474).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Big Bend Community College and Bates Technical College ($17,310).
• Bates Technical College is 19.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Big Bend Community College (about $968 more per year; $6,027.00 vs. $5,059.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 116.5% higher at Bates Technical College than at Big Bend Community College (about $6,546 more per year; $12,165.00 vs. $5,619.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Big Bend Community College than at Bates Technical College (77% vs. 33%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Bates Technical College students is 38.6% larger than aid received by Big Bend Community College students ($10,479 vs. $7,561).

Big Bend Community College vs. Bates Technical College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Big Bend Community College or Bates Technical 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 Bates Technical College and Big Bend Community College.

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

Big Bend Community College vs. Bates Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Big Bend Community College and Bates Technical 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 Bates Technical College earn a median of about $2,800 more per year than Big Bend Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,800 vs. $38,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Bates Technical College graduates have a $5,065 lower median loan debt than Big Bend Community College graduates ($5,895 vs. $10,960).
• Among borrowers, Bates Technical College graduates have an estimated $53 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Big Bend Community College graduates ($60 vs. $113).
• More Bates Technical College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Big Bend Community College students, three years after graduation. (42% 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.