Best Online Psychology Programs in Bellingham, WA (2026)

Bellingham, Washington has a population of about 92,367. The city’s median household income is $65,821 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 11 accredited schools offering psychology programs near Bellingham. In Washington, the top-earning psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $115,050 annually (BLS, May 2024).


Closest Psychology Schools to Bellingham

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 11 schools in our directory that offer psychology programs near Bellingham. Distances are calculated from Bellingham city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA1.3 miContact school for pricing
University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, WA69.8 miContact school for pricing
Bastyr UniversityKenmore, WA71.4 miContact school for pricing
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA76.2 miContact school for pricing
Seattle Pacific UniversitySeattle, WA76.4 miContact school for pricing
Northwest UniversityKirkland, WA76.7 miContact school for pricing
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended EducationKirkland, WA76.8 miContact school for pricing
City University of SeattleSeattle, WA78.7 miContact school for pricing
Antioch University-SeattleSeattle, WA78.8 miContact school for pricing
The Seattle School of Theology & PsychologySeattle, WA79.0 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Washington schools on the Washington psychology page.


Psychology Wages Near Bellingham

Bellingham is part of the Bellingham, WA metro area (BLS area code 13380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$115,050WA statewide$111,375
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistN/AWA statewide
School Psychologist$102,860Bellingham, WA$99,574
Educational and Career Counselor$72,480Bellingham, WA$70,165
Marriage and Family Therapist$59,660WA statewide$57,754
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor$71,250Bellingham, WA$68,974
Healthcare Social Worker$74,110Bellingham, WA$71,742
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$76,180Bellingham, WA$73,746

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Bellingham at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population92,367Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$65,821Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+46.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Psychology-related employment in Whatcom County4,605 workers, 356 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Bellingham-Area Cities With Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited psychology schools are near Bellingham, WA?

Our directory has 11 accredited schools offering psychology programs near Bellingham. The closest is Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA (1.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology (79.0 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Bellingham?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Bellingham are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($115,050), School Psychologist ($102,860), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($76,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Vernon instead of Bellingham?

Mount Vernon, WA is 24.1 miles from Bellingham and has its own set of local psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bellingham an affordable place to study psychology?

Bellingham’s median household income of $65,821 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bellingham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.