HCC- Highline vs. Cascadia College

Comparable Facts

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

Highline College is larger than Cascadia College based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 2,380 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

HCC- Highline vs. Cascadia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC- Highline or Cascadia 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 Highline College than Cascadia College ($11,783 vs. $13,782).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 12% lower than at Cascadia College ($15,228 vs. $17,310).
• Cascadia College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $385 more per year; $5,157.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 111.9% higher at Cascadia College than at Highline College (about $5,964 more per year; $11,296.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highline College than at Cascadia College (66% vs. 36%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cascadia College students is 21.1% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($8,505 vs. $7,026).

HCC- Highline vs. Cascadia College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC- Highline or Cascadia 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 Cascadia 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; Cascadia College - Open admission.

HCC- Highline vs. Cascadia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC- Highline and Cascadia 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 Cascadia College earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than HCC- Highline graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,200 vs. $39,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $1,092 lower median loan debt than Cascadia College graduates ($7,500 vs. $8,592).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cascadia College graduates ($77 vs. $88).
• More Cascadia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (48% 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.