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Nursing at Columbia Basin College

Pasco, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
79 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
79
Optimistic
79
Base Case
75
Pessimistic
Earnings $85,196/yr (13% vs median)
AI Risk High (39% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)
ROI 36.7x earnings multiple (27.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #491 of 990 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Nursing graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $913K $910K $784K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 36.9x 36.7x 31.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 27.7x 27.6x 23.8x
Probability of Field Employment 87% 86% 64%
DegreeOutlook Score 79 79 75

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$24,776
Out-of-state: $32,956 (27.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$33,208
-34% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

At $85,196 per year, Nursing graduates from Columbia Basin College earn slightly above the $75,273 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The 36.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 39% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Ranked #491 out of 990 programs, Columbia Basin College's Nursing offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

About Columbia Basin College

a compact campus enrolling 4,226 students in Pasco, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Columbia Basin College →

Top Career Paths

Nurse anesthetists $223,210/yr
Nurse practitioners $129,210/yr
Nurse midwives $128,790/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 990 schools offering Nursing →

Nursing at Other Schools

Sonoma State University ($125,646) California State University-East Bay ($124,392) Samuel Merritt University ($119,486) California State University-Stanislaus ($119,356) Pacific Union College ($119,258) Helene Fuld College of Nursing ($119,170) San Francisco State University ($117,532) California State University-Monterey Bay ($117,088)

Other Majors at Columbia Basin College

Dental Support Services and Allied Professions ($70,534) Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management ($59,559) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($48,411)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Nursing trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Columbia Basin College's Nursing program score?
A score of 79/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Columbia Basin College's Nursing graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Nursing to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nursing careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 39% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →