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Highline College

Des Moines, Washington · Public · 2-year · Suburb

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At a glance

Average net price
$9,879What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
Not reported
Graduation rate
37%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
3,838
In-state tuition
$4,772Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$5,332
SAT midpoint
Not reported
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$47,869Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against public 2-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$9,879

Better than 31% of public 2-year colleges (623 compared).

Completion

37%

Better than 68% of public 2-year colleges (625 compared).

Earnings

$47,869

Better than 88% of public 2-year colleges (613 compared).

Debt at graduation

$9,500

Better than 66% of public 2-year colleges (492 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$18,812

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$9,879

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

What would this cost me?
Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Highline College
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time37%
Retention rateFirst-year students who returnNot reported
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$9,500
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$47,869

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Highline College by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementNot reported29
Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesNot reported17
Social WorkNot reported11
International BusinessNot reported11
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsNot reported8
Design and Applied ArtsNot reported8

All 6 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

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