SKC vs. CBC

Comparable Facts

Compare Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, MT with Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Columbia Basin College is larger than SKC based on total student enrollment (7,510 students vs. 671 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Salish Kootenai College is located in Pablo, MT (Distant Rural setting); Columbia Basin College is in Pasco, WA (Small City setting).
• Salish Kootenai College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Columbia Basin College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Salish Kootenai College 6:1; Columbia Basin College 20:1.

SKC vs. CBC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SKC or CBC? 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 Salish Kootenai College than CBC ($6,771 vs. $10,656).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salish Kootenai College are 37.4% lower than at Columbia Basin College ($7,020 vs. $11,222).
• Columbia Basin College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SKC (about $156 more per year; $6,555.00 vs. $6,399.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33.6% higher at SKC than at Columbia Basin College (about $2,915 more per year; $11,583.00 vs. $8,668.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia Basin College than at Salish Kootenai College (76% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia Basin College students is 11.3% larger than aid received by Salish Kootenai College students ($7,367 vs. $6,621).

SKC vs. CBC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SKC or CBC? 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 CBC and SKC.

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

SKC vs. CBC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SKC and CBC? 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 Columbia Basin College earn a median of about $9,200 more per year than SKC graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $29,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Columbia Basin College graduates have a $1,972 lower median loan debt than SKC graduates ($10,500 vs. $12,472).
• Among borrowers, CBC graduates have an estimated $20 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SKC graduates ($108 vs. $128).
• More CBC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SKC students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 36%)

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.