Bellevue College vs Bellingham Technical College
Side-by-side college ROI comparison from College Scorecard data
Verdict
Bellevue College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Bellingham Technical College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Bellevue College at $25,371 vs Bellingham Technical College at $26,392. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $71,250 vs $65,000.
| Metric | Bellevue College | Bellingham Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| School Type | Public | Public |
| State | Wa | Wa |
| Avg Median Debt Average median debt across all tracked majors | $25,371* | $26,392 |
| Avg 1yr Earnings Average first-year earnings across all tracked majors | $71,250* | $65,000 |
| Majors Tracked | 12 | 2 |
| Best ROI Major | Computer Software and Media Applications (96/100)* | Engineering Technology (82/100) |
| Best Major Debt | $21,838* | $26,392 |
| Best Major 1yr Earnings | $95,000* | $65,000 |
Bellevue College has a 100.0% graduation rate compared to Bellingham Technical College at 100.0%. Average median debt: Bellevue College at $25,371 vs Bellingham Technical College at $26,392. Average first-year post-graduation earnings: $71,250 vs $65,000.
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Bellevue College and Bellingham Technical College graduate students at similar rates — 100.0% and 100.0% respectively. With completion rates comparable, the comparison reduces to cost, earnings, and program mix; the institutional-effect-on-completion question essentially nets out.
Average median debt is roughly even across Bellevue College and Bellingham Technical College. The cost side of the comparison effectively cancels out; the meaningful question becomes whether the program mix and the earnings outcomes differ enough to break the tie.
Earnings outcomes track closely — Bellevue College and Bellingham Technical College graduates report similar first-year wages. The school decision in cases like this is usually decided on non-financial axes (program quality, geography, fit) since the ROI math runs close enough to be inside the noise.
Both schools sit in Wa, which simplifies the in-state-vs-out-of-state tuition question and aligns the regional labor markets students will enter post-graduation. Cross-school comparisons within the same state should weight program mix and employer-pipeline depth heavily — the cost-of-living and labor-market backdrop is effectively held constant, so program-level differences are the differentiator.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, 2026.