LCC vs. Tacoma Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Tacoma Community College is larger than LCC based on total student enrollment (6,199 students vs. 2,724 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lower Columbia College is located in Longview, WA (Small City setting); Tacoma Community College is in Tacoma, WA (Midsize City setting).
• Lower Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tacoma Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lower Columbia College 15:1; Tacoma Community College 17:1.

LCC vs. Tacoma Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LCC or Tacoma Community College? 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 Tacoma Community College than LCC ($9,803 vs. $9,950).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Lower Columbia College and Tacoma Community College ($17,310).
• Tacoma Community College is 19% more expensive for in-state tuition than LCC (about $881 more per year; $5,507.00 vs. $4,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 94% higher at Tacoma Community College than at Lower Columbia College (about $5,643 more per year; $11,646.00 vs. $6,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lower Columbia College than at Tacoma Community College (76% vs. 55%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tacoma Community College students is 11.3% larger than aid received by Lower Columbia College students ($7,308 vs. $6,564).

LCC vs. Tacoma Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LCC or Tacoma Community College? 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 Tacoma Community College and LCC.

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

LCC vs. Tacoma Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LCC and Tacoma Community College? 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 Tacoma Community College earn a median of about $4,800 more per year than LCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $34,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Tacoma Community College graduates have a $16 lower median loan debt than LCC graduates ($12,768 vs. $12,784).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Tacoma Community College and LCC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($132 vs. $132).
• More Tacoma Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LCC students, three years after graduation. (34% 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.