Highline College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Highline College charges a net price of $9,879/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,758. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,869, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Highline College does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 of 64 Washington colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,879/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,758 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,869 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$491/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$29,578 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Highline College's own numbers. Net price $9,879 × 2 years = $19,758 total. Median earnings $47,869 fall $491 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $19,758 bill in about 2.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Highline College students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 20% of the $47,869 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Highline College students graduate?
35% finish their degree — 65% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,758 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $56,451 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Highline College expensive compared with other Washington colleges?
Its $9,879 net price runs $2,148 below the $12,027 median across the 64 Washington colleges we profile, and $4,295 less across the full degree.