HCC- Highline vs. Bates Technical College

Comparable Facts

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

Highline College is larger than Bates Technical College based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 4,083 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highline College is located in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting); Bates Technical College is in Tacoma, WA (Midsize City setting).
• Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Bates Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Highline College 13:1; Bates Technical College 21:1.

HCC- Highline vs. Bates Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC- Highline or Bates Technical College? 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 Bates Technical College than HCC- Highline ($7,963 vs. $11,783).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 12% lower than at Bates Technical College ($15,228 vs. $17,310).
• Bates Technical College is 26.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $1,255 more per year; $6,027.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 128.2% higher at Bates Technical College than at Highline College (about $6,833 more per year; $12,165.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highline College than at Bates Technical College (66% vs. 33%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Bates Technical College students is 49.1% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($10,479 vs. $7,026).

HCC- Highline vs. Bates Technical College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC- Highline or Bates Technical College? 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 Bates Technical College and HCC- Highline.

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

HCC- Highline vs. Bates Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC- Highline and Bates Technical College? 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 Bates Technical College earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than HCC- Highline graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,800 vs. $39,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Bates Technical College graduates have a $1,605 lower median loan debt than HCC- Highline graduates ($5,895 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, Bates Technical College graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HCC- Highline graduates ($60 vs. $77).
• More Bates Technical College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (42% 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.