Lower Columbia College
Lower Columbia College is a public community college in Longview, Washington, enrolling about 1,932 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. In-state tuition starts near $4,626 per year before fees and aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $4,626
- 2024 Average Net Price: $7,630 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,932 57.4% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 23.38%
Lower Columbia College: what the data shows
Common questions about Lower Columbia College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College is located in Longview, WA (ZIP 98632).
NCES locale classification: Town.
Is Lower Columbia College public or private?
Lower Columbia College is a Public institution.
How much does Lower Columbia College cost?
Published tuition: $4,626 in-state, $6,003 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $7,630.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $6,078 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,069 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,483 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $10,482 |
| $110,001+ | $14,192 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $18,504.
How big is Lower Columbia College?
Total enrollment: 1,932 students.
About 57% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Lower Columbia College?
150%-time completion rate: 23.38%.
What do graduates of Lower Columbia College earn?
Median earnings: $36,296 six years after entry; $40,691 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $10,506.
36.48% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Lower Columbia College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (562 completions)
- Liberal Arts & Sciences (274 completions)
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research (121 completions)
- Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (40 completions)
- Early Childhood Education & Teaching (25 completions)
- CIP 510801 (17 completions)
- Welding Technology (10 completions)
- Business Administration, Management, & Operations (8 completions)
- CIP 520201 (7 completions)
- Automobile Mechanics Technology (6 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Lower Columbia College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 23.38%; median earnings $40,691 at 10 years; net price $7,630. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$4,626
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Lower Columbia College was $4,626.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$7,630
2024 Value
In 2024 Lower Columbia College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $7,630.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$30,520 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$7,630 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$18,504 4-Year In-State Tuition
$24,012 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Lower Columbia College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
36.48% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
13.02% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Lower Columbia College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Lower Columbia College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,272 | $4,812 | $6,251 |
| 2014 | $4,281 | $4,821 | $7,865 |
| 2015 | $4,131 | $4,644 | $8,130 |
| 2016 | $4,131 | $4,665 | $7,514 |
| 2017 | $4,275 | $4,742 | $7,177 |
| 2018 | $3,864 | $4,269 | $7,226 |
| 2019 | $3,942 | $4,398 | $6,461 |
| 2020 | $4,068 | $5,256 | $7,027 |
| 2021 | $4,182 | $5,403 | $6,625 |
| 2022 | $4,261 | $5,514 | $7,568 |
| 2023 | $4,346 | $5,633 | $8,222 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
57.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Lower Columbia College in 2024 is 1,932 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
23.38% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Lower Columbia College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Lower Columbia College.
Return on Investment
$10,506 Median Student Debt
$40,691 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
25.82% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
1233.26% Return on Investment
2.6 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Lower Columbia College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
Liberal Arts & Sciences: 274 completions
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research: 121 completions
Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training: 40 completions
Early Childhood Education & Teaching: 25 completions
CIP 51.0801: 17 completions
Welding Technology: 10 completions
Business Administration, Management, & Operations: 8 completions
CIP 52.0201: 7 completions
Automobile Mechanics Technology: 6 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 562 completions
Most popular programs at Lower Columbia College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Lower Columbia College graduates.
About
Lower Columbia College is a public institution located in Longview, WA, offering 28 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 1,932 students. The institution maintains a 23.38% graduation rate. Approximately 36.48% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Public
Location
Longview, WA 98632
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 23.38% graduation rate at Lower Columbia College falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
FAQ
How much does Lower Columbia College cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $4,626 and average net price is $7,630 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What do graduates of Lower Columbia College earn?
Median earnings are $36,296 six years after entry and $40,691 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Lower Columbia College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 23.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Lower Columbia College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,506.
How big is Lower Columbia College?
Total enrollment is about 1,932 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Lower Columbia College public or private?
Lower Columbia College is a public institution located in Longview, WA.
Is Lower Columbia College an HBCU?
No. Lower Columbia College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Lower Columbia College a tribal college?
No. Lower Columbia College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Lower Columbia College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Lower Columbia College does not meet that proxy (reported share 15.3%).
Is Lower Columbia College religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Lower Columbia College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.