Highline College — tuition $3,633Highline College campus, Des Moines, WA. Photo: Joe Mabel (on Flickr as Joe Mabel from Seattle, US), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
C+
55/100
Affordability
B
67/100
Resources
B
66/100
Experience
B+
75/100
Prestige
F
28/100
Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
Quick Stats
5,126
Total Enrollment
39%
Graduation Rate
N/A
Retention Rate
15.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$13,467
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Highline College ▼
54%
of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.
What happens to students who enroll at Highline College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
$47,869
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$42,323
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$9,500
Median debt at graduation
35.5%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
19.1%
Students receiving Pell grants
Typical debt at graduation equals about 20% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 73rd percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (WA wage index 1.18). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Earnings by Major at Highline College
Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
For parents & investors
The Highline College Town Property Report
Avg home value near campus: $595,296
Avg rent near campus: $2,105/mo — vs ~$1,047/mo campus room rate
Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 98001 (3.0% cap, Auburn)
Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield,
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🏆 Where Highline College Ranks
Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~2,753 students need off-campus housing
💻 Learning Mode
In-Person33%
Hybrid (Some Online)36%
Fully Online31%
📊 Age Distribution
18-24 (Traditional)46%
25-64 (Adult)32%
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Highline College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Highline College?
Tuition at Highline College is
$3,633 for in-state students
and $3,633 for out-of-state students
.
However, the average net price after financial aid is $13,467.
What is the graduation rate at Highline College?
The graduation rate at Highline College is 39%.
This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is Highline College a good school?
Highline College has a Repit College Score of 57/100 (Grade: C+).
Our rating evaluates five key factors:
Outcomes (C+): Graduation and retention rates
Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
Resources (B): Class sizes and selectivity
Experience (B+): Campus life and learning format
Prestige (F): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Highline College?
Highline College has a total enrollment of 5,126 students.
Is there rental demand near Highline College?
Yes! Approximately 54% of students at Highline College live off-campus (not with family).
That's roughly 2,753 students who need rental housing near campus.
This represents significant rental demand, which affects housing availability and pricing in the Des Moines area.
Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Highline College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →
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