Community Colleges in Washington

The State of Washington is designated with the term ‘state’ to help distinguish this Northwest state from Washington DC. It is known as the Evergreen State and is the 13th largest state in the country with just shy of eight million residents. Washington State is home to over one hundred and thirty accredited universities and colleges. Community colleges in the state number nearly two dozen ranging from Tacoma and Spokane to Vancouver and Seattle. Top ranked community colleges in Washington State include Pierce College, Cascadia Community College, Everett Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, Bellingham Technical College, and Walla Walla Community College.

Benefits of Attending a Washington State Community College

Community colleges are public schools as they receive state funding. The community college system servers millions of students every year and tens of thousands in Washington State. A hallmark of community colleges is rooted in access and affordability. Access is most evident in the conveniently located school locations coupled with a guaranteed admissions policy for all qualified students. Affordability is demonstrable by evaluating the tuition to value proposition offered by the myriad community colleges across the state. The combination of quality, convenience, value, and access make the community college system an ideal starting point for many college-bound students.

Finding the Best Community College in Washington State for You

Get organized and focused on your higher education goals today by sorting Washington State colleges by salient characteristics like size, cost, enrollment, and academics. Work diligently to narrow this list to a manageable list and request information from these school with MatchCollege. After deeply evaluating each school’s admissions packet, connect with school administrators and admissions counselors to assess their fit. Starting your higher education journey with the right school will help keep your vocational momentum in place with a steady cadence towards your goals.

The following link may provide helpful information about community colleges in Washington:

Metro Area Links for Community Colleges in Washington

Community Colleges in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue

We have ranked the community colleges in the Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Pierce College at Puyallup in Puyallup, WA ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/get-started

Pierce College at Puyallup Highlights

  • Serving students from Puyallup and surrounding areas
  • 74% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
  • Tuition & fees are about $3,900 per year for state residents ($9,500 for out of state)

Top Community Colleges in Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue

Rate Institution Name Location Enrollment
74%Pierce College at PuyallupPuyallup, WA4,000
73%Bates Technical CollegeTacoma, WA3,000
58%Pierce College District 11Lakewood, WA6,000
57%Cascadia Community CollegeBothell, WA3,000
47%Everett Community CollegeEverett, WA8,000
47%Shoreline Community CollegeShoreline, WA6,000
46%Tacoma Community CollegeTacoma, WA7,000
45%Edmonds Community CollegeLynnwood, WA9,000

Community Colleges in Spokane

We have ranked the community colleges in the Spokane area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Spokane Falls Community College in Spokane, WA ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://sfcc.spokane.edu/

Spokane Falls Community College Highlights

  • Serving students from Spokane and surrounding areas
  • 46% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
  • Tuition & fees are about $3,600 per year for state residents ($9,200 for out of state)

Top Community Colleges in Spokane

Rate Institution Name Location Enrollment
46%Spokane Falls Community CollegeSpokane, WA6,000
45%Spokane Community CollegeSpokane, WA10,000

Community Colleges in Bellingham

We have ranked the community colleges in the Bellingham area by the percent of students who either completed their degree or transferred to a 4-year institution. Bellingham Technical College in Bellingham, WA ranked as the #1 community college in this area. Visit their official website at http://www.btc.edu

Bellingham Technical College Highlights

  • Serving students from Bellingham and surrounding areas
  • 48% of students either graduated or transferred to a 4-year college/university
  • Tuition & fees are about $3,600 per year for state residents ($9,200 for out of state)

Top Community Colleges in Bellingham

Rate Institution Name Location Enrollment
48%Bellingham Technical CollegeBellingham, WA2,000
44%Whatcom Community CollegeBellingham, WA4,000

Other Community Colleges in Washington

The table below lists all the other community colleges in Washington that do not belong to any large metropolitan or urban concentrated area. The table also displays the "Rate" column, which is the percent of students completing course work.

Rate Institution Name Location Enrollment
53%Walla Walla Community CollegeWalla Walla, WA5,000
48%South Puget Sound Community CollegeOlympia, WA5,000
47%Big Bend Community CollegeMoses Lake, WA2,000
45%Grays Harbor CollegeAberdeen, WA2,000
45%Lower Columbia CollegeLongview, WA3,000
41%Clark CollegeVancouver, WA10,000
40%Wenatchee Valley CollegeWenatchee, WA3,000

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both Washington in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.