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Des Moines, WA · Olympia, WA
| Highline College | South Puget Sound Community College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $9,879/yr | $9,132/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $8,984/yr | $7,757/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $9,500 | $11,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,689/yr | $8,765/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,209/yr | $9,655/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $11,455/yr | $11,781/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $12,378/yr | $16,766/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $101/mo | $117/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,228/yr | No data reported |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,310/yr | $17,310/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $528/yr | $900/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,746/yr | No data reported |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $18,812/yr | $17,888/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $4,772/yr | $5,252/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $5,332/yr | $5,813/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 22% |
| Students taking federal loans | 1.9% | 4.9% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 35% | 44% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $47,869/yr | $45,039/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $24,244–$72,619 | $26,123–$66,925 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 41% | 45% |
| White students graduating | 47% | 47% |
| Black students graduating | 25% | 26% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 25% | 26% |
| Asian students graduating | 36% | 58% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $42,323/yr | $37,270/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 64% | 56% |
| Pell students who graduate | 29% | 31% |
| First-gen students who finish | 26% | 29% |
| Low-income students who finish | 23% | 29% |
| Students who transfer out | 20% | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $45,176/yr | $40,105/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Liberal Arts & General Studies 38% · Health Professions 21% · Education 14% | Liberal Arts & General Studies 56% · Business, Management & Marketing 10% · Health Professions 8% |
| Most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 38% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 56% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 21% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 10% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Education — 14% of degrees | Health Professions — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Education — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 5% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | No data reported | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $69,107/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.5% | 11% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,838 | 3,075 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $10,738/mo | $9,271/mo |
| Full-time professors | 95% | 92% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $18,708 | $18,874 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | City (small) |
| Location | Des Moines, WA | Olympia, WA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | 1961 | 1962 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant | Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 7.2% | 1.8% |
| Men | 35% | 40% |
| Women | 65% | 60% |
| White students | 15% | 45% |
| Black students | 17% | 5% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 20% | 17% |
| Asian students | 15% | 6.9% |
| Two or more races | 7.3% | 11% |
| Other / not reported | 17% | 14% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 50% | 43% |
| Part-time students | 48% | 42% |
| Students age 25+ | 32% | 32% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,033/yr | $10,755/yr |
| Endowment | No data reported | $14.9M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | No — no campus housing |
| Beds in campus housing | 160 | No data reported |
| Required to live on campus | No | No data reported |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,426/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Quarter | Quarter |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NWAC | NWAC |
| Football team | No | No |
| Varsity teams | 8 | 7 |
| Student athletes | 122 | 93 |
| Athletic scholarships | $191,211 | $141,178 |
| Athletics budget | $884,329 | $870,782 |
| Athletics revenue | $976,584 | $870,782 |
| Recruiting spend | $0 | $3,880 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.