Cowley College vs. Highland Community College

Should I go to Cowley County Community College or Highland Community College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cowley College or Highland Community College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Cowley County Community College vs. Highland Community College comparison
Cowley County Community College Highland Community College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Location Arkansas City, KS Highland, KS
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 2,158 2,182
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cowley.edu highlandcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Tuition (In State) $2,400 $2,128
Tuition (Out of State) $3,900 $2,128
Room & Board $6,100 $7,944
Avg Net Price $7,165 $9,980
Avg Grant Aid $5,949 $5,782
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 66%

Admission

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA 2.94 -
Typical High School Grades B- -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2026

Academics

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (75%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (5%)
  • Precision Production Trades (4%)
  • Science Technologies (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (53%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (7%)
  • Business (5%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)

Outcomes

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,300 $33,300
Making Student Loan Payments 34% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,000 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $82 $98

Diversity

 Cowley College Highland Community College
% Men 12% 19%
% Women 16% 23%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 70% 69%
% Black 9% 13%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 2% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Cowley College Highland Community College
% In-State 69% 70%
% Out-of-State 18% 28%

Campus

 Cowley College Highland Community College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Highland Community College is larger than than Cowley College based on total student enrollment (2,182 students vs. 2,158 students)

Cowley College vs. Highland Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cowley College or Highland Community College?

  • Cowley County Community College is 12.8% more expensive to attend than Highland Community College for in-state tuition ($2,400.00 vs. $2,128.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.3% higher at Cowley College than Highland Community College ($3,900.00 vs. $2,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cowley County Community College than Highland Community College ($7,165 vs. $9,980)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cowley County Community College are 30.2% lower than costs at Highland Community College ($6,100 vs. $7,944)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cowley County Community College than Highland Community College (91% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cowley County Community College students is 2.9% larger than aid received Highland Community College ($5,949 vs. $5,782)

Which college is harder to get into, Cowley College or Highland Community College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Highland Community College or Cowley College .

Cowley College vs. Highland Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cowley College or Highland Community College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Highland Community College and Cowley College.

  • Graduates from Cowley County Community College earn on average $3,000 more per year than Highland Community College graduates after ten years. ($36,300 vs. $33,300)
  • Cowley County Community College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Highland Community College graduates. ($8,000 vs. $9,500)
  • Cowley College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Highland Community College graduates. ($82 vs. $98)
  • More Highland Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cowley College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 34%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/