Highline College vs Big Bend Community College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Highline College comes closer — median earnings $47,869 against a $19,758 total, vs $43,814 at Big Bend Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Highline College | Big Bend Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,879 | $12,210 |
| Total net cost | $19,758 | $24,420 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,869 | $43,814 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,166 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$29,578 | -$115,340 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Highline College or Big Bend Community College?
Highline College, at $9,879 a year after aid versus $12,210 — a gap of $2,331 a year, or $4,662 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Highline College or Big Bend Community College graduates earn more?
Highline College graduates report a median $47,869 ten years after entry, $4,055 more than the $43,814 at Big Bend Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
Which leaves students with less debt, Highline College or Big Bend Community College?
Big Bend Community College: its completers carry a median $9,166 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Highline College, a difference of $334. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
42% of students finish at Big Bend Community College, against 35% at Highline College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.