HCC- Highline vs. NSCC

Comparable Facts

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

Highline College is larger than NSCC based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 5,569 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highline College is located in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting); North Seattle College is in Seattle, WA (Large City setting).
• Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. North Seattle College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Highline College 13:1; North Seattle College 18:1.

HCC- Highline vs. NSCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC- Highline or NSCC? 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 NSCC ($11,783 vs. $12,462).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Highline College are 20% lower than at North Seattle College ($15,228 vs. $19,041).
• North Seattle College is 9.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $466 more per year; $5,238.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.7% higher at NSCC than at Highline College (about $464 more per year; $5,796.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Highline College than at North Seattle College (66% vs. 44%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Highline College students is 1.6% larger than aid received by North Seattle College students ($7,026 vs. $6,915).

HCC- Highline vs. NSCC Admissions comparison

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

HCC- Highline vs. NSCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC- Highline and NSCC? 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 North Seattle College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than HCC- Highline graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,700 vs. $39,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $2,497 lower median loan debt than NSCC graduates ($7,500 vs. $9,997).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NSCC graduates ($77 vs. $103).

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.