GRCC vs. HCC- Highline

Deciding between Green River College and Highline College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • GRCC Auburn, WA
  • HCC- Highline Des Moines, WA
  • Setting
  • GRCC Small City
  • HCC- Highline Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • GRCC 7,967
  • HCC- Highline 5,592
  • Type
  • GRCC Public 2 Year
  • HCC- Highline Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • Religious Affiliation
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Status
  • GRCC Non-profit
  • HCC- Highline Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • GRCC $4,711
  • HCC- Highline $4,772
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • GRCC $5,263
  • HCC- Highline $5,332
  • Room & Board
  • GRCC $17,310
  • HCC- Highline $15,228
  • Average Net Price
  • GRCC $14,405
  • HCC- Highline $11,783
  • Average Grant Aid
  • GRCC $7,198
  • HCC- Highline $7,026
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • GRCC 52%
  • HCC- Highline 66%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Admitted
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • GRCC Open
  • HCC- Highline Open
  • Enrolled
  • GRCC Open
  • HCC- Highline Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • Typical ACT score
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • Average High School GPA
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Admissions Standards
  • GRCC Unavailable
  • HCC- Highline Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • ACT Range
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • SAT Range
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline
  • Submit Test Scores
  • GRCC Open admission
  • HCC- Highline Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • GRCC
  • HCC- Highline

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • GRCC 11:1
  • HCC- Highline 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • GRCC
    • Transportation and Materials Moving (23%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
    • Business (22%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (9%)
    • Precision Production Trades (5%)
  • HCC- Highline
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (38%)
    • Health Professions (27%)
    • Business (19%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)
    • Physical Sciences (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • GRCC -
  • HCC- Highline -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • GRCC $39,500
  • HCC- Highline $39,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • GRCC 38%
  • HCC- Highline 36%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • GRCC N/A
  • HCC- Highline $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • GRCC N/A
  • HCC- Highline $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • GRCC 48%
  • HCC- Highline 36%
  • % Women
  • GRCC 52%
  • HCC- Highline 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • GRCC High
  • HCC- Highline Very High
  • HBCU
  • GRCC No
  • HCC- Highline No
  • % White
  • GRCC 49%
  • HCC- Highline 33%
  • % Asian
  • GRCC 9%
  • HCC- Highline 15%
  • % Black
  • GRCC 4%
  • HCC- Highline 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • GRCC 9%
  • HCC- Highline 12%
  • % Native American
  • GRCC 1%
  • HCC- Highline 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • GRCC 1%
  • HCC- Highline 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • GRCC 10%
  • HCC- Highline 10%
  • % International
  • GRCC 11%
  • HCC- Highline 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • GRCC 7%
  • HCC- Highline 9%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • GRCC 98%
  • HCC- Highline 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • GRCC 2%
  • HCC- Highline 2%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • GRCC No
  • HCC- Highline No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • GRCC No
  • HCC- Highline No
  • Meal Plan
  • GRCC No
  • HCC- Highline No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • GRCC No
  • HCC- Highline Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • GRCC Yes
  • HCC- Highline No

Comparable Facts

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

Green River College is larger than HCC- Highline based on total student enrollment (7,967 students vs. 5,592 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Green River College is located in Auburn, WA (Small City setting); Highline College is in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Green River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Green River College 11:1; Highline College 13:1.

GRCC vs. HCC- Highline Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GRCC 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 GRCC ($11,783 vs. $14,405).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 12% lower than at Green River College ($15,228 vs. $17,310).
  • Highline College is 1.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than GRCC (about $61 more per year; $4,772.00 vs. $4,711.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.3% higher at HCC- Highline than at Green River College (about $69 more per year; $5,332.00 vs. $5,263.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highline College than at Green River College (66% vs. 52%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Green River College students is 2.4% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($7,198 vs. $7,026).

GRCC vs. HCC- Highline Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GRCC 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 GRCC.

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

GRCC vs. HCC- Highline Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GRCC 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 Green River College earn a median of about $200 more per year than HCC- Highline graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,500 vs. $39,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More GRCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (38% 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.