Bellevue College
- Graduation Rate
- 35% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $56,310 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $11,430 B
- 33% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 7,364
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 30.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $30.3 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $30.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,341,532.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 38% above the national college median.
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Graduation of 35% — 39% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $30.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.4%
- Top 54%
- Patents
- 49
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 228
- Downstream influence
Why Bellevue College Matters
Bellevue College is a public community college in Bellevue, WA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate College
- Enrollment
- 7,364
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose Bellevue College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $11,430 a year after grants and scholarships — 33% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $56,310 ten years after enrolling — 38% above the typical college, against $12,375 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 49% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.73 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of 7,364 students, Bellevue College is an inviting option for those looking for a diverse range of programs. It stands out particularly in fields like Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, and Visual & Performing Arts. This variety allows students to explore different disciplines and tailor their education to their interests and career goals.
After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $56,310 within ten years. That’s a solid start, especially when you consider the affordability of attending Bellevue College. The net price after financial aid is around $11,430, and only about 10% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating a somewhat diverse economic background among attendees. This suggests that many students are finding their way through without excessive reliance on financial aid.
When we look at the practical side, the median debt for graduates is $12,375, which is manageable compared to their earnings potential. Students who thrive here tend to be those who appreciate a more intimate learning environment and are looking for paths that lead directly into the workforce. Bellevue College can be a great stepping stone for those ready to invest in their education while keeping an eye on their financial future.
Rankings
- #11 Best Computer Science Colleges in Washington
- #11 Best Data Science Colleges in Washington
- #16 Best Business Colleges in Washington
- #17 Best Online Colleges in Washington
- #17 Best Nursing Colleges in Washington
- #23 Best Colleges in Washington
- #25 Most Affordable Colleges in Washington
- #32 Best Master's Programs in Washington
Can I Get In?
How selective Bellevue College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bellevue College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bellevue, Washington, Bellevue College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 29%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,874
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 15:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.84
- First-Gen Students
- 41%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bellevue College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bellevue College is $10,502, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,430. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,375 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $4,436
- Out-of-State
- $10,502
- Avg Net Price
- $11,430
- Median Debt
- $12,375
- Pell Grant Rate
- 10%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 3%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,500
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,049
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,829
- Family Income $110K+
- $19,973
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Bellevue College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Bellevue College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bellevue College earn a median of $56,310, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $47,460
- 8 Years
- $53,687
- 10 Years
- $56,310
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.22x
- Earning > $25K
- 64%
Earnings Trajectory
How Bellevue Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Bellevue College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Bellevue College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,430/year ($45,720 total). Graduates earn $56,310 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,387,252 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,341,532 (30.3× your investment). The median debt is $12,375, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 35% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $45,720
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,387,252
- Net Return
- $1,341,532
- ROI Multiple
- 30.3×
- Cost Per Year
- $11,430
- Median Debt
- $12,375
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 35%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Bellevue College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Bellevue College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 22.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $97,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.49%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 22.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $131,789
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Bellevue College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 49 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.41%
- Top 54% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 49
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 228
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.66%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $2,878,933
- Investment Income
- $171,943
Top Programs
The fields Bellevue College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 45%
- Health Professions 16% $78,390 early-career
- Business & Marketing 15% $38,691 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 15% $74,828 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 3% $41,067 early-career
- Education 2%
- Physical Sciences 2%
- Criminal Justice 0%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Bellevue College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Bellevue College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Bellevue, Washington, Bellevue College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 35%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Bellevue College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Bellevue College is $10,502, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,430. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,375 in federal student loans.
Is Bellevue College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Bellevue College earn a median of $56,310, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Bellevue College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Bellevue College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.49%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 22.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $97,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Bellevue College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Bellevue College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Bellevue College.
- Empire State UniversitySaratoga Springs, NY · Close peer34% grad $54,080 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Texas A&M University-San AntonioSan Antonio, TX · Close peer35% grad $54,338 earn 93% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Ensign CollegeSalt Lake City, UT · Close peer38% grad $50,630 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- University of Alaska AnchorageAnchorage, AK · Close peer29% grad $51,871 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA · Close peer43% grad $49,587 earn 52% acceptWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
- Texas A & M University-Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX · Close peer37% grad $51,865 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Bellevue College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Bellevue College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note