Head to head

Bellevue College vs Washington State University

Bellevue College (Bellevue, WA) and Washington State University (Pullman, WA) compared on cost, admissions, size, and outcomes, using each college’s own federal reporting. Every comparison below is drawn from figures both colleges report — where only one reports a number, no comparison is made.

Side-by-side comparison

Bellevue College and Washington State University compared on cost, admissions, enrollment, and outcomes.
MeasureBellevue CollegeWashington State University
LocationBellevue, WAPullman, WA
Institution typeUniversityUniversity
Public or privatePublicPublic
Campus settingUrbanRural
Published in-state tuitionSticker price before aid$4,436$13,391
Published out-of-state tuition$10,502$29,950
Average net priceAverage paid after grants and scholarships$11,430$14,971
Acceptance rate100%87%
SAT range (middle 50%)Not reported803–1072
Total enrollment7,36426,150
Graduation rate36%61%
First-year retentionNot reported78%

What the numbers show

  • Bellevue College has the lower published in-state tuition ($4,436 vs $13,391 at Washington State University).
  • Bellevue College has the lower published out-of-state tuition ($10,502 vs $29,950 at Washington State University).
  • Bellevue College has the lower average net price after aid ($11,430 vs $14,971 at Washington State University).
  • Washington State University has the higher graduation rate (61% vs 36% at Bellevue College).
  • Washington State University has the lower acceptance rate (87% vs 100% at Bellevue College).
  • Washington State University has the larger student body (26,150 students vs 7,364 students at Bellevue College).

How to read this comparison

Every statement above is a direct comparison of two reported figures, and appears only when bothcolleges report that measure. Where one reports and the other does not, the row shows “Not reported” and no conclusion is drawn — a data gap is not a finding.

CampusPin does not rank these colleges or declare a winner. A lower acceptance rate is not a quality score, a higher graduation rate partly reflects who a college admits, and published tuition is not what most students pay. Which college is better depends on your program, your finances, and your circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Bellevue College or Washington State University?
Bellevue College has the lower published in-state tuition: $4,436 versus $13,391. After grants and scholarships, average net price is $11,430 at Bellevue College and $14,971 at Washington State University — net price is the better basis for a cost comparison.
Is Bellevue College or Washington State University harder to get into?
Washington State University has the lower acceptance rate — 87% versus 100%. A lower acceptance rate means more applicants per seat; it is not by itself a measure of academic quality or of your own chances.
Which has the better graduation rate, Bellevue College or Washington State University?
Washington State University reports the higher graduation rate: 61% versus 36%. Graduation rates reflect the students a college enrolls as well as the support it provides, so read them alongside admissions selectivity.

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Data sources & methodology

Figures for Bellevue College and Washington State University come from federal datasets and each institution's own reporting.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Suggested citation

CampusPin. Bellevue College vs Washington State University. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/compare/bellevue-college-vs-washington-state-university