Lower Columbia College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Longview, Washington. It enrolls 1,932 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
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes23
Value79
Affordability62
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Lower Columbia College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Lower Columbia 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 $7,630 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$7,630
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
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)
$4,626
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,003
Room & Board (on-campus)
$17,310
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,310
Books & Supplies
$762
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,746
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,746
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,169
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
$6,078
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,069
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,483
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,482
Over $110,000
$14,192
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.
$1,68410%percentile
$3,16725%percentile
$10,506Medianpercentile
$15,28275%percentile
$23,99390%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 $7,077
↓ $3,429
No Pell $4,906
↓ $5,600
Dependent students $4,238
↓ $6,268
Independent students $8,103
↓ $2,403
Female students $6,709
↓ $3,797
Male students $6,210
↓ $4,296
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,625, less than completers ($10,506), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of full-time students who enrolled at Lower Columbia College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
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 Lower Columbia College earn a median of $40,691 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,691
Earning > $25K
65%
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
$33,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,300, about 14% 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 ↑
34.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 76% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Lower Columbia College is home to 1,932 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 47% are first-generation college students, 43% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
1,932
Part-Time
43%
First-Generation
47%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 61.0%1,178
Hispanic 15.3%295
Other 8.7%169
Black 2.9%55
Asian 2.3%44
International 1.3%25
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Lower Columbia College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityLongview, Washington
Housing
Limited on-campus housing72 beds
Adult Learners
40%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Lower Columbia College offers
a varied set of programs:
29 distinct programs across
14 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 Lower Columbia College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,228
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$85,344
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
72 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
72
100%
$85,344
Pros & Cons of Lower Columbia College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Lower Columbia College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Lower Columbia 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 Lower Columbia College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Lower Columbia College.
How much does Lower Columbia College cost?
The average net price after aid at Lower Columbia College is $7,630 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Lower Columbia College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,691 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,630 per year. That's roughly 5.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Lower Columbia College known for?
Lower Columbia College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12). These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Lower Columbia College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Lower Columbia College are $40,691, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Lower Columbia College accredited?
Yes. Lower Columbia College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College enrolls 1,932 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College graduates 27% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Lower Columbia College a public or private college?
Lower Columbia College is a Public institution.
Where is Lower Columbia College located?
Lower Columbia College is located in Longview, Washington.
What programs does Lower Columbia College offer?
Lower Columbia College offers 29 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12).
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Lower Columbia College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Lower Columbia College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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