Best Community Colleges in Washington by Salary Potential
Furthering your education is a good investment, but you want a degree that will pay. Check out Washington’s top community colleges by earning potential.
| Rank | School Name | School Sector | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Bellevue College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$52,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$81,900 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:13% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Perry Technical Institute | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$54,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$77,900 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Lake Washington Institute of Technology | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$51,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$75,600 | % High Meaning:64% | % STEM Degrees:18% |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Shoreline Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$52,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$75,200 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:5 | School Name:Bates Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$51,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$73,500 | % High Meaning:66% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:6 | School Name:Bellingham Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$50,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$72,800 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:12% |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Seattle Central College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$54,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$72,500 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:12% |
| Rank:8 | School Name: Renton Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$51,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$72,400 | % High Meaning:48% | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:9 | School Name:South Seattle College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$48,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$72,000 | % High Meaning:47% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:10 | School Name: Green River College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$48,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$71,700 | % High Meaning:55% | % STEM Degrees:19% |
| Rank:11 | School Name: Columbia Basin College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$43,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$71,600 | % High Meaning:58% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:12 | School Name: North Seattle College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$49,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$70,300 | % High Meaning:58% | % STEM Degrees:18% |
| Rank:13 | School Name:Pierce College District | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$46,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$69,700 | % High Meaning:73% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:14 | School Name: Edmonds College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$48,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$69,600 | % High Meaning:45% | % STEM Degrees:24% |
| Rank:15 | School Name:Walla Walla Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$68,300 | % High Meaning:68% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:15 | School Name:Centralia College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$47,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$68,300 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:17 | School Name: Highline College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$68,100 | % High Meaning:64% | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:17 | School Name: City University of Seattle | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$47,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$68,100 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:19 | School Name:South Puget Sound Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$46,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$67,900 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:20 | School Name: Tacoma Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$46,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$67,600 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:13% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Wenatchee Valley College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$67,400 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Clover Park Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$44,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$67,400 | % High Meaning:60% | % STEM Degrees:21% |
| Rank:23 | School Name: Clark College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$43,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$66,300 | % High Meaning:56% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:24 | School Name: Everett Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$65,700 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:25 | School Name:Skagit Valley College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$44,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$65,400 | % High Meaning:61% | % STEM Degrees:10% |
The Evergreen State has a rich community college system, with 50 two-year colleges to choose from (12 more than the number of four-year colleges!). Top employers include Microsoft, Boeing, Sea-Tac Airport and a variety of medical and military centers. Almost all are public colleges. Data provide insight into the top-earning alumni.
Looking at another factor in considering the best career colleges in Seattle, the school with one of the largest percentage of students who have a high sense of meaning from their careers come out of Lake Washington Technical College. One of the lowest percentages comes from the Art Institute of Seattle.