HCC- Highline vs. YVCC

Comparable Facts

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

Highline College is larger than YVCC based on total student enrollment (5,592 students vs. 3,809 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Highline College is located in Des Moines, WA (Large Suburban setting); Yakima Valley College is in Yakima, WA (Small City setting).
• Highline College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Yakima Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Highline College 13:1; Yakima Valley College 15:1.

HCC- Highline vs. YVCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC- Highline or YVCC? 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 YVCC ($11,783 vs. $12,862).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yakima Valley College are 41.4% lower than at Highline College ($8,928 vs. $15,228).
• Yakima Valley College is 11.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC- Highline (about $540 more per year; $5,312.00 vs. $4,772.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.1% higher at YVCC than at Highline College (about $541 more per year; $5,873.00 vs. $5,332.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Yakima Valley College than at Highline College (80% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Yakima Valley College students is 13.5% larger than aid received by Highline College students ($7,971 vs. $7,026).

HCC- Highline vs. YVCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC- Highline or YVCC? 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 YVCC 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; YVCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: YVCC Aug 12, 2027.

HCC- Highline vs. YVCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC- Highline and YVCC? 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 $4,200 more per year than YVCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Highline College graduates have a $3,834 lower median loan debt than YVCC graduates ($7,500 vs. $11,334).
• Among borrowers, HCC- Highline graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than YVCC graduates ($77 vs. $117).
• More YVCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC- Highline students, three years after graduation. (44% 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.