Tuition for Washington residents attending Whatcom Community College rose by 2.3% during the 2022-23 school year, based on the most recent figures, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Washington residents paid $4,982 to attend the public institution this year, an increase of $114 from the $4,868 charged in the 2021-22 academic year.
Non-resident students faced tuition fees that were 115.4% higher than those for residents in 2022-23, amounting to $10,731. This represented a 2.5% increase from $10,472 in the previous year.
Approximately 92% of the undergraduate student body at Whatcom Community College are Washington residents, while around 7% come from other states.
Data indicates that 57% of full-time undergraduates who began their studies in 2022-23 received some form of financial aid. Specifically, 173 students were awarded grants or scholarships totaling $1.1 million, and 23 students secured loans exceeding $117,156.
Across the entire undergraduate population, 1,299 students benefited from grants or scholarships amounting to $7 million. Additionally, 161 students took out federal student loans totaling $957,009.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
The following data includes only full-time students who began an undergraduate program at the Whatcom Community College in the 2022-23 school year.
| Type of Aid | Number of students awarded aid | Percent awarded aid | Total amount of aid awarded | Average amount of aid per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal grants | 141 | 45% | $559,403 | $3,967 |
| State / local grant or scholarship | 119 | 38% | $452,277 | $3,801 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 62 | 20% | $60,810 | $981 |
| Grant or scholarship aid total | 173 | 55% | $1.1 million | $6,199 |
| Federal student loans | 22 | 7% | $103,156 | $4,689 |
| Other student loans | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Student loan aid | 23 | 7% | $117,156 | $5,094 |
| Total student aid | 178 | 57% | $1.2 million | $6,683 |
Information in this story was obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. The source data can be found here.
