Derivatives and Balance Sheet Offsetting (Narative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Interest Rate Cash Flow Hedge Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months, Net	$ 10,400
Gain on termination of interest rate collar	34,400
Secured Borrowings, Gross Including Not Subject to Master Netting Arrangement	38,624
Commitments To Originate Loans Held For Sale Member
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Commitments and contingent liabilities (Note 10)	60,100
Forward Sales Contracts
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Commitments and contingent liabilities (Note 10)	48,500
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Interest Rate Contracts [Member]
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	635,100	$ 597,900
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Interest rate collar [Domain]
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	500,000
U.S. Government Agency and Government-Sponsored Enterprise Mortgage-Backed Securities and Collateralized Mortgage Obligations [Member]
Balance Sheet Offsetting [Line Items]
Secured Borrowings, Gross Including Not Subject to Master Netting Arrangement	$ 38,624

[Line Items] for Balance Sheet Offsetting [Table]

No definition available.

Name:	colb_BalanceSheetOffsettingLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	colb_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Gain on termination of interest rate collar

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	colb_GainOnTerminationOfInterestRateCollar
Namespace Prefix:	colb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the caption on the face of the balance sheet to indicate that the entity has entered into (1) purchase or supply arrangements that will require expending a portion of its resources to meet the terms thereof, and (2) is exposed to potential losses or, less frequently, gains, arising from (a) possible claims against a company's resources due to future performance under contract terms, and (b) possible losses or likely gains from uncertainties that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events that are deemed likely to occur do occur or fail to occur.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),19)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingencies
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The estimated net amount of unrealized gains or losses on interest rate cash flow hedges as of the balance sheet date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121549185&loc=d3e80748-113994

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestRateCashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedDuringNext12MonthsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before effects of master netting arrangements, of financial assets loaned to entities in exchange for collateral and funds outstanding borrowed in the form of a financial asset repurchase agreement between the entity and another party for the sale and repurchase of identical or substantially the same financial assets at a date certain for a specified price. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL34722452-111729

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL34722452-111729

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL34722452-111729

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuredBorrowingsGrossIncludingNotSubjectToMasterNettingArrangement
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=colb_CommitmentsToOriginateLoansHeldForSaleMemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=colb_ForwardSalesContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=colb_InterestratecollarDomain
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=colb_USGovernmentAgencyAndGovernmentSponsoredEnterpriseMortgageBackedSecuritiesAndCollateralizedMortgageObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: