Public · Community college
Columbia Basin College
Pasco, Washington · Large suburb
- 12%
- Transfer rate
- $8,317
- Avg net price
- 33%
- Grad / completion
- $46,680
- Median earnings
Columbia Basin College is a public associate-granting institution in Pasco, Washington (large suburb setting), enrolling 4,640 undergraduates. Admission is open to all applicants.
About Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States. On October 16, 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in the Pasco area, at a site now commemorated by Sacajawea State Park. The area was frequented by fur trappers and gold traders. Among all of Pasco's annual activities and events, the most popular is the Pasco Farmers Market, located in downtown Pasco. The market is open from May through October each year, drawing a large regional crowd and providing an outlet for farmers selling fresh produce. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Large suburb
- Highest degree offered
- Bachelor's
- Nearest big city
- 126 miles to Spokane, WA
- To the ocean
- 170 miles
- Nearest airport
- 1 mile to Tri Cities (PSC)
How Columbia Basin College compares
Higher than 17% · #43 of 58 in Washington
Higher than 86% · #17 of 51 in Washington
Cheaper than 78% · #14 cheapest of 58 in Washington
Lower than 15%
Lower than 29%
Larger than 90%
Percentiles compare Columbia Basin College with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in Washington.
Student body
Undergraduates by gender
- Women2,79760%
- Men1,84340%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White31%
- Black1.4%
- Hispanic53%
- Asian2.0%
- Other or multiracial13%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 4,640
- Student–faculty ratio
- 20 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 26%
- First-generation students
- 50%
- Students over 25
- 30%
- Median family income
- $24,700
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $84,717
- Endowment
- $26,500,711
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Where students come from
Home state of the 1,248 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.
- From Washington93%
- Other U.S. states7.4%
Most first-years stay in state — Columbia Basin College draws overwhelmingly from Washington.
Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $6,555
- Out-of-state tuition
- $8,668
- Room & board
- $11,222
- Books & supplies
- $745
- Total cost of attendance
- $18,261
- Average net price
- $8,317
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated
- 33%
- First-year retention
- —
- Transferred to another college
- 12%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $38,255
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $46,680
- Median debt at graduation
- $14,829
- Students with federal loans
- 4%
- Paying down their loans (1 year in)
- 45%
Graduating on time
By student background (4 years)
When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- Yes
- Dorm capacity
- 126
- Dorm capacity vs undergrads
- 3%
- Housing charge (year)
- $7,002
- Application fee
- Free
- Athletics
- NWAC
- Varsity athletes
- 167 (89 men · 78 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (6)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- A
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 0.5 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 1
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 10
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (7,510 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
Reported offenses in an average year
The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.
By offense type, per year
Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.
Modest institutional aid: 29% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $1,617. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.
Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 1,031 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.
Is it worth it?
A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.
- Median earnings (10 years)
- $46,680
- Typical debt at graduation
- $14,829
- Debt vs. one year's pay
- 32%
- Out-earn a HS grad
- 49%
Typical debt would take roughly 3.2 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.
A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.
Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $15,254 (38%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 92°F
- Winter low
- 27°F
- Annual rain
- 7.6″
- Annual snow
- 2″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pasco Tri Cities AP, WA US station (1 mi from campus).
What Columbia Basin College graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Columbia Basin College
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Columbia Basin College side by side →
Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, Washington · Midsize city · 27 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 4,668
- Tuition
- $6k
- Transfer
- 20%
- Earnings
- $47k
Highline College
Des Moines, Washington · Large suburb · 15 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 3,838
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 20%
- Earnings
- $48k
Pierce College District
Lakewood, Washington · Small city · 32 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 5,313
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 20%
- Earnings
- $48k
Seattle Central College
Seattle, Washington · Large city · 1 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 3,953
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 24%
- Earnings
- $43k
Everett Community College
Everett, Washington · Midsize city · 28 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 4,709
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 16%
- Earnings
- $45k
South Puget Sound Community College
Olympia, Washington · Small city · 49 mi to Seattle
- Students
- 3,075
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 16%
- Earnings
- $45k
Colleges near Columbia Basin College
Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology
Kennewick, WA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 34 students
Pacific Northwest Christian College
Kennewick, WA · Private nonprofit · Associate · 129 students
Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
Richland, WA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 256 students
Walla Walla University
College Place, WA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 1,252 students
Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 1,531 students
Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla, WA · Public · Associate · 2,418 students
Blue Mountain Community College
Pendleton, OR · Public · Associate · 962 students
Heritage University
Toppenish, WA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 812 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.