Columbia Basin College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Pasco, Washington. It enrolls 4,640 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes41
Value80
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Columbia Basin College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Columbia Basin College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $8,317 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,317
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
4%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,555
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,668
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,222
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,410
Books & Supplies
$745
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,835
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,305
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,261
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,010
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,642
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,595
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,019
Over $110,000
$17,228
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,50310%percentile
$2,75725%percentile
$14,829Medianpercentile
$11,63875%percentile
$20,06090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,126
↓ $6,703
No Pell $6,000
↓ $8,829
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $9,329
Independent students $9,500
↓ $5,329
Female students $8,166
↓ $6,663
Male students $6,334
↓ $8,495
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,286, less than completers ($14,829), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Columbia Basin College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Columbia Basin College earn a median of $46,680 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,680
Earning > $25K
72%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$34,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$48,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,900, about 29% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
24.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Columbia Basin College is home to 4,640 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 50% are first-generation college students, 41% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
4,640
Part-Time
41%
First-Generation
50%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 53.2%2,469
White 30.7%1,424
Other 4.3%201
Asian 2.0%93
Black 1.4%65
International 0.2%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Columbia Basin College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbPasco, Washington
Housing
Limited on-campus housing126 beds
Adult Learners
30%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Columbia Basin College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
48 distinct programs across
12 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia Basin College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,467
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$22M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$78,741
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
139 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
139
100%
$78,741
Pros & Cons of Columbia Basin College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Columbia Basin College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Columbia Basin College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia Basin College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Columbia Basin College.
How much does Columbia Basin College cost?
The average net price after aid at Columbia Basin College is $8,317 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Columbia Basin College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,680 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,317 per year. That's roughly 5.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Columbia Basin College known for?
Columbia Basin College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Columbia Basin College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Columbia Basin College are $46,680, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Columbia Basin College accredited?
Yes. Columbia Basin College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Columbia Basin College?
Columbia Basin College enrolls 4,640 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia Basin College?
Columbia Basin College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Columbia Basin College a public or private college?
Columbia Basin College is a Public institution.
Where is Columbia Basin College located?
Columbia Basin College is located in Pasco, Washington.
What programs does Columbia Basin College offer?
Columbia Basin College offers 48 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia Basin College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia Basin College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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