Portland Community College vs. LCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Portland Community College in Portland, OR with Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Portland Community College is larger than LCC based on total student enrollment (20,861 students vs. 2,724 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Portland Community College is located in Portland, OR (Large City setting); Lower Columbia College is in Longview, WA (Small City setting).
• Portland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Lower Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Portland Community College 19:1; Lower Columbia College 15:1.

Portland Community College vs. LCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Portland Community College or LCC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Portland Community College than LCC ($9,372 vs. $9,950).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Portland Community College are 10.7% lower than at Lower Columbia College ($15,462 vs. $17,310).
• Portland Community College is 12.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than LCC (about $594 more per year; $5,220.00 vs. $4,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 73.9% higher at Portland Community College than at Lower Columbia College (about $4,437 more per year; $10,440.00 vs. $6,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lower Columbia College than at Portland Community College (76% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Portland Community College students is 11.2% larger than aid received by Lower Columbia College students ($7,297 vs. $6,564).

Portland Community College vs. LCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Portland Community College or LCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between LCC and Portland Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Portland Community College - Open admission; LCC - Open admission.

Portland Community College vs. LCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Portland Community College and LCC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Portland Community College earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than LCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,900 vs. $34,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lower Columbia College graduates have a $4,008 lower median loan debt than Portland Community College graduates ($12,784 vs. $16,792).
• Among borrowers, LCC graduates have an estimated $41 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Portland Community College graduates ($132 vs. $173).
• More Portland Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LCC students, three years after graduation. (36% vs. 32%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.