Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. HCC- Highline

Comparable Facts

Compare Bellingham Technical College in Bellingham, WA with Highline College in Des Moines, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Highline College is larger than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 2,047 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Bellingham Technical College is located in Bellingham, WA (Small City setting); Highline College is in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting).
• Bellingham Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Bellingham Technical College 24:1; Highline College 13:1.

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. HCC- Highline Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute or HCC- Highline? 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 Bellingham Technical College than HCC- Highline ($8,294 vs. $11,783).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 12% lower than at Bellingham Technical College ($15,228 vs. $17,310).
• Highline College is 7.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute (about $341 more per year; $4,772.00 vs. $4,431.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.9% higher at Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute than at Highline College (about $477 more per year; $5,809.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highline College than at Bellingham Technical College (66% vs. 52%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Bellingham Technical College students is 14.3% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($8,030 vs. $7,026).

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. HCC- Highline Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute or HCC- Highline? 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 HCC- Highline and Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute - Open admission; HCC- Highline - Open admission.

Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute vs. HCC- Highline Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute and HCC- Highline? 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 Bellingham Technical College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than HCC- Highline graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,500 vs. $39,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $7,000 lower median loan debt than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates ($7,500 vs. $14,500).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates ($77 vs. $149).
• More Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 36%)

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.