Columbia Basin College

What Columbia Basin College does

Columbia Basin College (CBC) is a public community college founded in 1955 and headquartered in Pasco, Washington, operating additional facilities across three sites in Richland. The institution offers 100+ programs spanning associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificates across business, computer science, healthcare, nuclear technology, trades, education, and social sciences, with a 23:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 501–1000 employees. Distinctive program areas include specialized Nuclear Technology training (Instrumentation & Control Technician, Non-Licensed Nuclear Operator, Radiation Protection Technician) developed in partnership with Energy Northwest, supported by access to the WSU Tri-Cities Energy Learning Center nuclear simulator for SMR operator training aligned with the planned Cascade Advanced Energy Facility.

The college is governed by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and derives revenue primarily from state appropriations, student tuition (average $4,200 annually), and federal grants, including $18M in financial aid administered annually to students. It is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is a member of NC-SARA, enabling interstate distance learning. Customer-facing recruitment is conducted through Hawk Central, outreach coordinators, a student ambassador program, dual-credit high school partnerships (Running Start, CTE Dual Credit), and a multi-platform social media presence across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok.

Recent strategic activity centers on positioning CBC as the workforce training anchor for the regional nuclear energy value chain, including partnerships with Washington State University, Energy Northwest, and indirectly with X-energy on SMR deployment near the Hanford site. The college also operates a free regional transit partnership with Benton Franklin Transit and maintains student support infrastructure including financial aid, counseling, library, career services, and student housing. No venture capital, private equity, or external ownership interests exist; the institution operates as a government state entity.

Name

Columbia Basin College

Legal name

Columbia Basin College

Website

https://columbiabasin.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Columbia Basin College is a public community college in Pasco, Washington, offering 100+ associate, bachelor's, and certificate programs across healthcare, trades, nuclear technology, and business to students in the Tri-Cities region, with specialized nuclear workforce training aligned to regional SMR deployment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Workforce training
• Career technical education
• Nuclear technology training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition and fees for credit-bearing programs including associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificate programs. Average annual tuition stated as $4,200.
2. Financial Aid Distribution: College administers $18 million in financial aid annually to students including Pell Grants, scholarships, and institutional aid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Columbia Basin College is a public community college that delivers higher education through associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificate programs across more than 100 fields including business, computer science, healthcare, nuclear technology, teacher education, and skilled trades. It serves traditional students, adult learners, dual-enrolled high school students, and senior citizens from campuses in Pasco and Richland, Washington, with online options for out-of-state learners. The college also operates a Dental Hygiene Clinic as a community service.

Product overview

Columbia Basin College (CBC) is a community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across multiple delivery formats. The institution provides bachelor's degrees (BAS, BS, BSN), associate degrees (AA, AAS, AAS-T, AS, AS-T), and certificate programs spanning areas including business, computer science, healthcare, nuclear technology, trades, and social sciences. The college operates from campuses in Pasco (main campus) and Richland, with specialized facilities including the Health Science Center and Medical Science Center. The institution serves approximately 100+ programs and degrees with a 23:1 student-to-faculty ratio, positioning itself as a workforce development partner in the Tri-Cities region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs Four-year bachelor's degree programs offered by CBC including Applied Management, Computer Science, Cyber Security, Dental Hygiene, Nursing (BSN), Project Management, Software Development, and Teacher Education. Designed for students seeking upper-division credentials without leaving the Tri-Cities region.
• Associate Degree Programs Two-year associate degree programs (AA, AS, AAS, AS-T, AAS-T) in fields such as Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Dental Assisting, Early Childhood Education, Medical Assistant, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Surgical Technology, Welding Technology, and Nuclear Technology. These serve as standalone credentials or transfer pathways to four-year universities.
• Certificate Programs One-year and short-term certificates in specialized vocational fields including Automotive Technology, Dental Assisting, EMT-Basic, Hospitality, Medical Assistant, Nuclear Technology, Phlebotomy, Project Management, Welding, and other healthcare and technical specialties. Designed for rapid workforce entry.
• Nuclear Technology Programs Specialized nuclear technology training programs including Instrumentation & Control Technician, Non-Licensed Nuclear Operator, and Radiation Protection Technician, offered at both associate and certificate levels. Developed in partnership with Energy Northwest and supported by the WSU Tri-Cities Energy Learning Center nuclear simulator to address the nuclear and small modular reactor (SMR) workforce gap.
• Health Sciences Programs Healthcare education programs including Dental Hygiene, Nursing (ADN and BSN), Medical Assistant, Surgical Technology, Radiologic Technology, Paramedicine, Phlebotomy, and diagnostic imaging certificates. Delivered at the Health Science Center and Medical Science Center in Richland with state-of-the-art medical teaching equipment and a Dental Hygiene Clinic.
• Student Support Services Comprehensive student support including Financial Aid (administering $18 million annually), Counseling & Advising, Library, Career Services, Student Housing, accessibility services, and free transit access through the Benton Franklin Transit partnership for current students.
• High School Dual Enrollment Programs Running Start, CTE Dual Credit, and exam-based dual credit programs that allow high school students to earn college-level coursework and credits while still enrolled in high school, providing cost savings and a smooth transition to college.
• Gold Card Senior Citizen Tuition Program Reduced tuition program for Washington residents aged 60 and older, supporting affordable lifelong learning, personal enrichment, and workforce re-entry opportunities at CBC.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Washington State University (WSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026WSU received $1.4M DOE grant for 'Reactor Ready' nuclear workforce initiative with 1:1 cost share bringing total to $2.8M. CBC is a key partner providing nuclear technology training programs. WSU's Tri-Cities campus houses the Energy Learning Center nuclear simulator accessible to CBC students. Initiative addresses nuclear sector workforce gaps as older workers retire and SMR deployment expands.
• Energy NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Partner in the WSU 'Reactor Ready' workforce initiative and collaborator on the Energy Learning Center nuclear simulator. Also developing the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility (advanced SMR project) with X-energy on Hanford site land near CBC's service area. Provides industry perspective and employment pathways for CBC nuclear technology graduates.
• X-energyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026Partnering with Energy Northwest on the Cascade Advanced Energy Facility, an advanced small modular reactor project near the Hanford site. Initial capacity of 320 MW contracted to Amazon. CBC's nuclear technology programs help prepare workforce for this facility.
• Benton Franklin TransitminorOthersTransit partnership offering all current CBC students and employees free ridership on BFT Connect and all Benton Franklin Transit routes. Students show CBC ID with current quarter sticker for free transportation to campus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Walla Walla Community College: Public Washington State community college offering associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and workforce certificates. Closest geographic and structural peer to CBC in the WA community college system, operating under the same state board.
• Big Bend Community College: Public Washington State community college serving a rural region. Comparable in scale, mission, and program portfolio (transfer, workforce, bachelor's) to CBC, with similar tuition economics and student demographics.
• Wenatchee Valley College: Public Washington State community college offering associate degrees and certificates in a regional service area. Similar institutional size and program breadth to CBC, sharing the same state funding and governance model.
• Yakima Valley College: Public Washington State community college with comparable Hispanic-Serving Institution profile and similar transfer/workforce mix. Operates within the same state system and faces analogous enrollment and funding dynamics as CBC.
• Highline College: Public Washington State community college offering transfer, workforce, and bachelor's programs in a more urban setting. Comparable program breadth and HSI-adjacent demographics to CBC.
• Spokane Community College: Part of the Community Colleges of Spokane system, offering associate degrees, certificates, and workforce training. Comparable to CBC in scale, mission, and emphasis on technical and healthcare programs.
• Bellevue College: Washington State community college known for its broader bachelor's degree portfolio and international student enrollment. Comparable as a public WA community college that has expanded into four-year programs similar to CBC's BAS offerings.
• Pierce College: Washington State community college serving Pierce County with associate, bachelor's, and workforce programs. Directly comparable institution under the same state system with similar program breadth.

Broad incumbents

• WSU Tri-Cities: Four-year university located in the same Tri-Cities metro as CBC. Operates as both a nuclear-workforce training partner (Energy Learning Center) and a competing four-year institution offering bachelor's and graduate degrees that overlap with CBC's BAS programs.
• Miami Dade College: One of the largest U.S. community colleges, designated Hispanic-Serving Institution with extensive bachelor's degree offerings. Comparable as a large-scale public community college operating comprehensive transfer and workforce programs, including HSIs serving diverse student populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbcollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/columbiabasincollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/55983019656
• Instagraminstagram.com/cbcollege
• TikToktiktok.com/@cbcollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-basin-college

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Basin College