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Pasco, WA · Des Moines, WA
| Columbia Basin College | Highline College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $8,317/yr | $9,879/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,010/yr | $8,984/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $14,829 | $9,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,642/yr | $9,689/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $9,595/yr | $11,209/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $11,019/yr | $11,455/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $17,228/yr | $12,378/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $157/mo | $101/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $11,222/yr | $15,228/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $12,410/yr | $17,310/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $745/yr | $528/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,835/yr | $4,746/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $18,261/yr | $18,812/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $6,555/yr | $4,772/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $8,668/yr | $5,332/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 26% | 19% |
| Students taking federal loans | 4.3% | 1.9% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 33% | 35% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $46,680/yr | $47,869/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $26,950–$68,836 | $24,244–$72,619 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 44% | 41% |
| White students graduating | 35% | 47% |
| Black students graduating | 27% | 25% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 31% | 25% |
| Asian students graduating | 61% | 36% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $38,255/yr | $42,323/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 64% | 64% |
| Pell students who graduate | 30% | 29% |
| First-gen students who finish | 19% | 26% |
| Low-income students who finish | 17% | 23% |
| Students who transfer out | 12% | 20% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $43,234/yr | $45,176/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 49% · Health Professions 15% · Education 14% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 38% · Health Professions 21% · Education 14% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 49% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 38% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 15% of degrees | Health Professions — 21% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Education — 14% of degrees | Education — 14% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $85,196/yr | No data reported |
| Degrees in STEM | 6.9% | 9.5% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 4,640 | 3,838 |
| Students per professor | 20 : 1 | 13 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $9,413/mo | $10,738/mo |
| Full-time professors | 98% | 95% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $24,700 | $18,708 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Pasco, WA | Des Moines, WA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | 1955 | 1961 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Mixed Baccalaureate/Associate's | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.2% | 7.2% |
| Men | 37% | 35% |
| Women | 63% | 65% |
| White students | 31% | 15% |
| Black students | 1.4% | 17% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 53% | 20% |
| Asian students | 2% | 15% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 7.3% |
| Other / not reported | 8.6% | 17% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 50% | 50% |
| Part-time students | 41% | 48% |
| Students age 25+ | 30% | 32% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $6,870/yr | $10,033/yr |
| Endowment | $26.5M | No data reported |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 126 | 160 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,002/yr | $9,426/yr |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | No |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NWAC | NWAC |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 9 | 8 |
| Student athletes | 166 | 122 |
| Athletic scholarships | $322,058 | $191,211 |
| Athletics budget | $1.5M | $884,329 |
| Athletics revenue | $1.5M | $976,584 |
| Recruiting spend | $15,810 | $0 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.