Head-to-head comparison
Tacoma Community College vs Columbia Basin College: which has better ROI?
Option A Tacoma, WA
Tacoma Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,376
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,168
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Pasco, WA
Columbia Basin College
- Net price / year
- $8,317
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,680
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Tacoma Community College comes closer — median earnings $47,168 against a $16,752 total, vs $46,680 at Columbia Basin College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tacoma Community College | Columbia Basin College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,376 | $8,317 |
| Total net cost | $16,752 | $16,634 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,168 | $46,680 |
| Median debt | $13,000 | $14,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$40,592 | -$50,234 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Tacoma Community College or Columbia Basin College?
Columbia Basin College, at $8,317 a year after aid versus $8,376 — a gap of $59 a year, or $118 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 Tacoma Community College or Columbia Basin College graduates earn more?
Tacoma Community College graduates report a median $47,168 ten years after entry, $488 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, Tacoma Community College or Columbia Basin College?
Tacoma Community College: its completers carry a median $13,000 in federal loans versus $14,829 at Columbia Basin College, a difference of $1,829. 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 32% at Tacoma Community 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.