C+
Above Average
Score: 54/100
Overall (traditional)
F
Outcome Rating
25/100 · earnings-weighted

Lower Columbia College

4-Year Public
📍 Longview, Washington 98632
Outcomes
C
48/100
Affordability
B
70/100
Resources
B
67/100
Experience
B
68/100
Prestige
F
23/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

2,412
Total Enrollment
25%
Graduation Rate
N/A
Retention Rate
13.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$10,613
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Lower Columbia College ▼

52% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$392,761
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,278
1-Year Change
+2.1%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Lower Columbia College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$40,691
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$36,296
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$10,506
Median debt at graduation
23.4%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
36.5%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 26% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 24th percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (WA wage index 1.18). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Lower Columbia College

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$75,715$92,471+14%#156 of 962#391$10,035
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$30,845$41,925-5%#545 of 947#791$7,667

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Lower Columbia College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $392,761
  • Avg rent near campus: $1,278/mo — vs ~$300/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 98581 (4.0% cap, Ryderwood)

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Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $3,988 $5,275
Room $2,700
Total Cost (On-Campus) $26,864 $28,151

Financial Aid

93%
Receive Any Aid
35%
Receive Pell Grants
14%
Take Out Loans
$10,613
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$6,427
$30,001 - $48,000$8,037
$48,001 - $75,000$9,265
$75,001 - $110,000$14,179
$110,001+$15,683

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 274 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 121 grads/yr Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 40 grads/yr Early Childhood Education and Teaching 25 grads/yr Medical/Clinical Assistant 17 grads/yr Welding Technology/Welder 10 grads/yr Business/Commerce, General 8 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 7 grads/yr Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician 6 grads/yr Organizational Leadership 5 grads/yr Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 5 grads/yr Music, General 4 grads/yr Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General 4 grads/yr Electrical and Electronics Engineering 4 grads/yr Mechanical Engineering 4 grads/yr Biology/Biological Sciences, General 4 grads/yr Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician 4 grads/yr Machine Tool Technology/Machinist 4 grads/yr Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical Secretary 3 grads/yr Retail Management 3 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Lower Columbia College's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
Registered nurses
$94k/yr 3,391,000 jobs
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
$80k/yr 91,600 jobs
Nursing assistants
$40k/yr 1,441,500 jobs
Education teachers, postsecondary
$72k/yr 74,900 jobs
Elementary school teachers, except special education
$62k/yr 1,422,700 jobs
Kindergarten teachers, except special education
$61k/yr 117,200 jobs
Preschool teachers, except special education
$37k/yr 555,100 jobs

Student Demographics

2,412
Total Students
69%
Women
40%
Traditional Age (18-24)
52%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 66%
Hispanic 14%
Black 2%
Asian 2%
Two or More 7%
Non-Resident 1%

🏠 Living Arrangements

Off-Campus (Renters) 52%
With Family 48%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~1,259 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 25%
Hybrid (Some Online) 35%
Fully Online 39%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 40%
25-64 (Adult) 40%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Lower Columbia College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Lower Columbia College?
Tuition at Lower Columbia College is $3,988 for in-state students and $5,275 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $10,613.
What is the graduation rate at Lower Columbia College?
The graduation rate at Lower Columbia College is 25%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is Lower Columbia College a good school?
Lower Columbia College has a Repit College Score of 54/100 (Grade: C+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (B): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Lower Columbia College?
Lower Columbia College has a total enrollment of 2,412 students.
Is there rental demand near Lower Columbia College?
Yes! Approximately 52% of students at Lower Columbia College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 1,259 students who need rental housing near campus. This represents significant rental demand, which affects housing availability and pricing in the Longview area.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Lower Columbia College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Lower Columbia College

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

C+
Clark College
Vancouver, WA · 7,149 students
C+
Spokane Community College
Spokane, WA · 6,286 students
C+
Seattle Central College
Seattle, WA · 5,210 students
C+
Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla, WA · 2,982 students
C
Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, WA · 5,771 students
C
North Seattle College
Seattle, WA · 5,017 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology