Columbia Basin College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbia Basin College charges a net price of $8,317/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $16,634. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,680, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Columbia Basin College does not clear its cost — it ranks #35 of 64 Washington colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,317/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $16,634 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,680 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,680/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,829 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$50,234 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbia Basin College's own numbers. Net price $8,317 × 2 years = $16,634 total. Median earnings $46,680 fall $1,680 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $16,634 bill in about 1.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbia Basin College students graduate with?
A median $14,829 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $46,680 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbia Basin College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,634 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $50,406 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbia Basin College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $8,317 net price runs $3,710 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $7,419 less across the full degree.