Big Bend Community College vs. HCC- Highline

Comparable Facts

Compare Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, 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 Big Bend Community College based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 1,857 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Big Bend Community College is located in Moses Lake, WA (Remote Town setting); Highline College is in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting).
• Big Bend Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Big Bend Community College 17:1; Highline College 13:1.

Big Bend Community College vs. HCC- Highline Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Big Bend Community College 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 Highline College than Big Bend Community College ($11,783 vs. $14,474).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 12% lower than at Big Bend Community College ($15,228 vs. $17,310).
• Big Bend Community College is 6% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $287 more per year; $5,059.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.4% higher at Big Bend Community College than at Highline College (about $287 more per year; $5,619.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Big Bend Community College than at Highline College (77% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Big Bend Community College students is 7.6% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($7,561 vs. $7,026).

Big Bend Community College vs. HCC- Highline Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Big Bend Community College 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 Big Bend Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Big Bend Community College - Open admission; HCC- Highline - Open admission.

Big Bend Community College vs. HCC- Highline Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Big Bend Community College 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 Highline College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than Big Bend Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $38,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $3,460 lower median loan debt than Big Bend Community College graduates ($7,500 vs. $10,960).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Big Bend Community College graduates ($77 vs. $113).
• More Big Bend Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.