Whatcom Community College

What Whatcom Community College does

Whatcom Community College is a public community college located in Bellingham, Washington, operating under the governance of the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Founded in 1967 and accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) up to the bachelor's level, the college serves more than 7,000 students annually through a 251-500 employee headcount (395 staff per the faculty/staff directory). Its service area spans Whatcom County and broader Northwest Washington, with explicit outreach to tribal communities (Lummi Nation, Nooksack Tribe), international students, veterans, reentry students, and Running Start high schoolers from 18+ regional high schools.

The college's academic portfolio spans transfer associate degrees, four applied bachelor's degrees (Business Management, IT Networking & Cybersecurity, Social Work, and Computer Science), professional-technical certificates, transitional learning and GED preparation, ESOL, and non-credit Community & Continuing Education delivered both on-campus and online (via the ed2go partnership). The technology platform is built on industry-standard third-party systems: Canvas for learning management, ctcLink (the Washington state SIS) for enrollment and student records, MyWCC for the student portal, and Navigate360 (EAB) for student success and advising. The proprietary Orca Card integrates WTA bus transit, library access, recreation center entry, printing, and bookstore debit into a single student credential. The college holds NSA/DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation and hosts the NCyTE Center and CyberWatch West consortium.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: Washington State appropriations tied to enrollment and performance, per-credit tuition for in-state/out-of-state/international students (set by the state board), and ancillary fees including a $20/quarter student-approved Orca Card bus pass. The WCC Foundation supplements this with scholarships ($589,695 awarded to 336 students in 2024-2025) and emergency student funds. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, with prospective student acquisition driven by high school counselor partnerships, campus tours, community events, outreach presentations, and a digital presence across website, social media, and email. On-campus housing (Cedar Hall, 230 students) and a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio function as recruitment and retention assets.

Name

Whatcom Community College

Legal name

Whatcom Community College

Website

https://whatcom.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Whatcom Community College is a public community college in Bellingham, Washington serving 7,000+ students annually with associate and bachelor's degrees, professional-technical certificates, transitional learning, and continuing education, operating under the Washington State community college system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Community College

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE), Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Workforce training
• University transfer pathways
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Per-credit tuition for in-state and out-of-state students. Additional fees include student activity fees, technology fees, and Orca Card fees ($20/quarter for WTA bus pass).
2. State Funding: Public community college funded by Washington State, with operational funding based on enrollment and performance metrics.
3. Foundation Scholarships: WCC Foundation provides scholarships to students ($589,695 awarded to 336 students for 2024-2025 academic year).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Whatcom Community College is a public community college in Bellingham, Washington, offering associate degrees, four bachelor's degree programs, professional-technical certificates, university transfer pathways, workforce training, adult basic education, GED preparation, and continuing education. It serves more than 7,000 students annually across credit, non-credit, and community education programs as part of the Washington State community and technical college system.

Product overview

Whatcom Community College offers a comprehensive educational platform consisting of core student-facing systems and specialized programs. The primary student systems include Canvas LMS for course management, ctcLink for enrollment and student records, MyWCC for student accounts, and the Orca Card for integrated campus services. Navigate360 provides mobile-based student success functionality while Orca Central serves as the physical/virtual hub for enrollment support. The college provides three Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in Business Management, IT Networking Cybersecurity, and Social Work, alongside associate degrees, professional-technical programs, and GED preparation. Community & Continuing Education extends offerings through non-credit classes and ed2go partnership. Specialized facilities include the Cybersecurity Center/NCyTE Center, Media Center with Makerspace, and Cedar Hall on-campus housing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WCC Foundation: The college's official fundraising and alumni engagement organization that provides scholarships and student emergency funds
• Orca Central
• Orca Athletics
• NCyTE Center
• Cedar Hall

Products and services

• Orca Central (Student Services Hub)
• Community and Continuing Education
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management
• Bachelor of Applied Science in IT Networking Cybersecurity A four-year bachelor's degree program in information technology networking with cybersecurity specialization, recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the NSA and DHS.
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Social Work
• NCyTE Center (National Cybersecurity Training & Education)
• Cedar Hall On-Campus Housing
• Media Center and Makerspace
• Ed2go Career Training

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western Washington UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuaranteed Transfer Admission agreement allowing WCC students to transfer seamlessly to WWU. Partnership supports the most popular university transfer pathway program at WCC, with staff expertise in advising students on transfer to top universities throughout the U.S.
• Local High Schools (Bellingham, Meridian, Mt. Baker, Nooksack, Options, Sehome, Squalicum, Ferndale, Orcas Island, Anacortes, Oak Harbor, Blaine, Lynden, Lynden Christian, Lake Stevens, Whatcom Intergenerational, Burlington-Edison, Sedro Woolley)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with 18+ high schools in the region for Running Start program allowing high school juniors and seniors to earn college credits tuition-free. Also includes CTE Dual Credit and special admission processes.
• Lummi Nation and Nooksack TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated outreach specialists assigned to serve tribal communities, providing culturally responsive recruitment and support services for Native American students.
• Area Health Education Center for Western Washington (AHECWW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCC serves as host for AHECWW, supporting healthcare education workforce development in the region through programs, resources, and education initiatives.
• Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA)coreTechnology or IntegrationOrca Card integrated with WTA bus system providing unlimited bus service to enrolled students ($20/quarter student-approved fee). Touch-pass system on Orca Cards allows seamless transit access.
• CyberWatch WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCC designated as lead institution of CyberWatch West, a regional cybersecurity education consortium addressing shortage of information security professionals.
• NCyTE Center (National Cybersecurity Training & Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCC is host institution for NCyTE Center and CAE Candidates National Center (CCNC), serving as the Washington State Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
• International Education Agents and PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of international education agents facilitating recruitment of international students to WCC programs.
• Homestay HostsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal families provide homestay accommodations for international students under 17 years of age or those preferring homestay over campus housing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bellingham Technical College: Public technical college located in Bellingham, WA, offering associate degrees and technical certificates. Directly comparable as a same-city community/technical college competing for the same Whatcom County student pipeline.
• Skagit Valley College: Washington State community college serving the adjacent Skagit County region with associate degrees, transfer pathways, and Running Start — directly comparable as a peer institution in the same state system.
• Everett Community College: Public community college in the Washington State system offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, BAS degrees, and workforce programs — comparable scale and program mix to WCC.
• Edmonds College: Washington State community college with similar associate and BAS offerings, including international student programs — comparable in size, mission, and state-system structure.
• Bellevue College: Large Washington State community college offering associate, BAS, and bachelor's programs with strong international enrollment — comparable state-system peer with similar program breadth.
• Tacoma Community College: Washington State community college serving the South Sound region with transfer, technical, and BAS programs — comparable institutional profile within the same state system.
• Seattle Central College: Urban Washington State community college offering transfer and technical programs plus BAS degrees and international student recruitment — directly comparable in mission and program mix.
• Peninsula College: Washington State community college on the Olympic Peninsula with associate degrees, transfer programs, and Running Start — comparable in size and state-system structure.
• Clark College: Washington State community college in Vancouver, WA with associate, transfer, and BAS programs and international student enrollment — comparable institutional profile and program breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Western Washington University: Public four-year university in Bellingham that is WCC's primary guaranteed-transfer partner. Operates broadly in higher education in the same region and competes for upper-division and transfer-bound students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@whatcomcc
• Facebookfacebook.com/86866904185
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whatcom-community-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/whatcomcc
• Xx.com/WhatcomCC

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whatcom Community College