GHC vs. HCC- Highline

Comparable Facts

Compare Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, 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 GHC based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 1,577 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Grays Harbor College is located in Aberdeen, WA (Rural Fringe setting); Highline College is in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting).
• Grays Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Grays Harbor College 14:1; Highline College 13:1.

GHC vs. HCC- Highline Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GHC 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 Grays Harbor College than HCC- Highline ($9,640 vs. $11,783).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grays Harbor College are 14.9% lower than at Highline College ($12,966 vs. $15,228).
• Grays Harbor College is 17.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $821 more per year; $5,593.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 135.4% higher at GHC than at Highline College (about $7,221 more per year; $12,553.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Grays Harbor College than at Highline College (94% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Grays Harbor College students is 2.8% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($7,224 vs. $7,026).

GHC vs. HCC- Highline Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GHC 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 GHC.

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

GHC vs. HCC- Highline Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GHC 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 $6,800 more per year than GHC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $32,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $2,060 lower median loan debt than GHC graduates ($7,500 vs. $9,560).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than GHC graduates ($77 vs. $98).
• More HCC- Highline graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GHC students, three years after graduation. (36% vs. 27%)

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.