Head-to-head comparison
Columbia Basin College vs North Seattle College: which has better ROI?
Option A Pasco, WA
Columbia Basin College
- Net price / year
- $8,317
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,680
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Seattle, WA
North Seattle College
- Net price / year
- $10,740
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,728
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Columbia Basin College comes closer — median earnings $46,680 against a $16,634 total, vs $47,728 at North Seattle College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia Basin College | North Seattle College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,317 | $10,740 |
| Total net cost | $16,634 | $42,960 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,680 | $47,728 |
| Median debt | $14,829 | $15,458 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$50,234 | -$55,600 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia Basin College or North Seattle College?
Columbia Basin College, at $8,317 a year after aid versus $10,740 — a gap of $2,423 a year, or $26,326 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Columbia Basin College or North Seattle College graduates earn more?
North Seattle College graduates report a median $47,728 ten years after entry, $1,048 more than the $46,680 at Columbia Basin College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Columbia Basin College or North Seattle College?
Columbia Basin College: its completers carry a median $14,829 in federal loans versus $15,458 at North Seattle College, a difference of $629. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
33% of students finish at Columbia Basin College, against 33% at North Seattle College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.