HCC- Highline vs. WVC

Comparable Facts

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

Highline College is larger than WVC based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 3,067 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highline College is located in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting); Wenatchee Valley College is in Wenatchee, WA (Small City setting).
• Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Wenatchee Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Highline College 13:1; Wenatchee Valley College 14:1.

HCC- Highline vs. WVC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC- Highline or WVC? 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 Wenatchee Valley College than HCC- Highline ($11,103 vs. $11,783).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wenatchee Valley College are 31.3% lower than at Highline College ($10,458 vs. $15,228).
• Wenatchee Valley College is 10.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $495 more per year; $5,267.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.7% higher at WVC than at Highline College (about $304 more per year; $5,636.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wenatchee Valley College than at Highline College (77% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Wenatchee Valley College students is 28.5% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($9,031 vs. $7,026).

HCC- Highline vs. WVC Admissions comparison

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

HCC- Highline vs. WVC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC- Highline and WVC? 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 $2,900 more per year than WVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $3,205 lower median loan debt than WVC graduates ($7,500 vs. $10,705).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WVC graduates ($77 vs. $110).
• More WVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (37% 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.