Lower Columbia College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lower Columbia College charges a net price of $7,630/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $15,260. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,691, 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, Lower Columbia College does not clear its cost — it ranks #53 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) | $7,630/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $15,260 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,691 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,669/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,506 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$168,640 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lower Columbia College's own numbers. Net price $7,630 × 2 years = $15,260 total. Median earnings $40,691 fall $7,669 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 $15,260 bill in about 1.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lower Columbia College students graduate with?
A median $10,506 in federal loans among completers, or 26% of the $40,691 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lower Columbia College students graduate?
23% finish their degree — 77% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $15,260 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $66,348 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lower Columbia College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $7,630 net price runs $4,397 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $8,793 less across the full degree.