Highline College

Highline College is a public institution recognized for its commitment to diversity, affordability, and comprehensive educational offerings. Established in 1961, The college offers a wide array of programs, including associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor’s degrees in specialized fields. Popular areas of study encompass Liberal Arts and Humanities, Medical Assisting, and Nursing. The institution maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, allowing for personalized attention and support. Highline College prides itself on fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. with significant representations of Asian (19%), Hispanic (19%), and Black (20%) students. Affordability is a key aspect of Highline College’s mission. The in-state tuition is approximately $4,000, which is competitive compared to other institutions in Washington. Additionally, 35% of students receive some form of financial aid, assisting in making higher education accessible to a broader population. The campus offers a supportive and engaging environment. Students have access to various resources, including academic advising, career services, and extracurricular activities. The college’s location in Des Moines provides a serene setting while being in proximity to the vibrant city life of Seattle.

Diploma mill, low quality instructors and classes. Poor student policies. The only reason to consider going here is to get pre-requisite credits to transfer to another university like the UW. Highline in the early 2010's was a decent school for what it was. Now? It's by far one of the worst schools I've been to and I regret going here. The financial aid department is also a complete joke and will drag their feet and intentionally make things difficult for you. I've had a better experience the last few quarters but I also had to CC the department head on an email chain showing the front desk intentionally disregarding my inquiries. Seriously, don't go here if you need financial assistance.

If you want to transfer credits from another community college in the area this probably isnt the best place for you. My son attended Green River CC due to Running Start, and then we opted to transfer him to Highline CC to continue his degree after he graduated, since it's closer to home. Highline has confirmed receipt of his transcripts as of May 2025. We were intially told this process would take 8-10 weeks for them to review transcripts and give him credit for previously taken classes. After several back and worth emails its Jan 2026 and still his transcripts have not been evaluated. There department just keeps saying they are short staffed. This is not fair to the students or the parents paying for the students education. Now we are in a state of not knowing for sure what classes he needs to take due to not know what classes are transferable to be applied to his degree.

Slowest uncaring college I've ever attended. The professors make assignments up that have nothing to do with the subject of the course. In top of that, My professors didn't even create their own curriculum, they use previous material from other instructors courses. Financial aid is just downright awful, I have sent emails last year in September to finacial aid and other departments. I still have not received a single response from anyone, which is insane. They are behind in processing paperwork and getting things done in a timely manor. Go to one of the seattle colleges. Don't waste your time and money here on this recycled college.

After a four year enlistment in the US Coast Guard I attended Highline College. I received an excellent education in Respiratory Therapy. I went on to get my degree in nursing after moving to Massachusetts and my credits easily transferred.

Highline College is a fantastic campus. I'm not a student here but I booked an exam at the exam center. The description to building 1 was straight forward and the instructions of parking was quite straightforward. The staff at the exam center was absolutely professional.

I scheduled an appointment with Highline’s Financial Aid Office two months in advance, but because I arrived 15 minutes late due to work, my appointment was canceled on the spot. I then checked in at the office and was given a 108-minute wait time through their outdated sign-in system. After waiting over an hour with no update or email (despite a sign stating that we would receive one upon check-in), I asked about my place in line. I was told they couldn’t help me. When I asked again about the missing email confirmation, I was told I’d need to sign in again and start my wait all over, essentially wasting the hour I had already spent. At every step it felt like I was hitting intentional barriers rather than being helped. The lack of communication, transparency, and empathy for students — many of whom are juggling jobs and classes — is unacceptable. This office badly needs a modernized system and staff who are willing to assist students instead of pushing them back to the start. ----------------------- UPDATE: I went to the financial aid office during drop in advising, and was only able to speak to a receptionist, who set up an online meeting with an actual advisor. I wasn't able to make the meeting, which was promptly cancelled after 5 minutes, and all attempts to reschedule were ignored. When I show up to drop in advising, it's because I want to talk to an actual advisor, not a receptionist. Highline college: please make it more transparent when you will have actual advisers available to help.