Highland Community College, Freeport

What Highland Community College, Freeport does

Highland Community College is a public, open-door community college established in 1962 and operating as Highland Community College District No. 519 under the Illinois Public Community College Act. It serves northwest Illinois residents across Stephenson, Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Ogle counties from its main campus in Freeport, Illinois, and delivers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs organized under four academic divisions: Business and Technology; Humanities, Social Sciences and Fine Arts; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and Nursing and Allied Health. The institution is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (reaffirmed November 2019) and holds specialized accreditations from ACEN (nursing), CAAHEP (medical assisting, EMT/Paramedic), and the ASE Education Foundation (automotive technology). Auxiliary programs include TRIO/Project Succeed, Upward Bound, adult education (free GED and ESL), lifelong learning, Business Institute workforce training, dual credit, and the CollegeNow high school dual enrollment program.

Name

Highland Community College, Freeport

Legal name

Highland Community College

Website

https://highland.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Highland Community College is a public community college in Freeport, Illinois, serving northwest Illinois residents with 60+ degree and certificate programs, dual credit, adult education, and workforce training across District No. 519.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE), Rural/Regional Community Colleges (EDAHADAK), Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Adult education
• Workforce training
• Transfer pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Freeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Per-credit-hour tuition with tiered pricing based on residency status (in-district, out-of-district, out-of-state, border, international, senior citizens). Additional fees include registration, technology, activity, mental health, and course-specific lab fees.
2. State Funding and Property Tax Revenue: Public community college funded through Illinois state appropriations and property tax revenues from Highland Community College District No. 519 covering northwest Illinois.
3. Foundation Donations and Scholarships: Highland Community College Foundation awards over $10 million in scholarships since 1962 and has provided $21 million in campus enhancements. Corporate partners include Adkins Energy, Helm, Inertia, The Morse Group, SEAGA, Winter Construction, and Woodbine Bend Golf Course.
4. Workforce Development and Continuing Education: Adult education programs including free GED and ESL classes; lifelong learning courses; professional development; truck driving and trades programs; cosmetology services through student salon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Highland Community College provides public two-year higher education through over 60 associate degree and certificate programs organized across four academic divisions, alongside dual credit CollegeNow programs, free adult GED and ESL classes, lifelong learning, workforce development via the Business Institute, and comprehensive student support services (TRIO/Project Succeed, Upward Bound, Student Success Center). Course delivery spans on-campus, online, hybrid, and Zoom modalities for residents of Highland Community College District No. 519 in northwest Illinois.

Product overview

Highland Community College is a public community college offering a platform of educational programs and services across multiple divisions. The institution provides over 60 degree and certificate programs organized under four academic divisions (Business and Technology, Humanities Social Sciences and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Nursing and Allied Health), supplemented by dual credit programs (CollegeNow and standard Dual Credit), adult education (GED and ESL), and lifelong learning continuing education. Student support services include TRIO/Project Succeed, Upward Bound, a Success Center with tutoring, and mental health counseling. The college offers transfer pathways with regional four-year institutions and workforce development programs through its Business Institute. Additional services include athletics (Highland Cougars), fine arts programming, library services, and comprehensive financial aid support. The institution operates on a multi-service platform model where core academic programs are complemented by support services and community education offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Highland Cougars: The athletic teams and mascot of Highland Community College
• Clarence Mitchell Library
• Cougar Café
• CollegeNow
• Project Succeed
• Upward Bound

Products and services

• Academic Degree and Certificate Programs
• CollegeNow Dual Credit Program
• Dual Credit Program
• Adult Education (GED and ESL)
• Lifelong Learning Continuing Education
• Business Institute and Workforce Development
• Transfer Agreements and Services
• Highland Cougars Athletics
• Fine Arts and Theatre Programs
• Credit for Prior Learning Assessment
• Financial Aid Services
• TRIO/Project Succeed Student Support Services
• Upward Bound Pre-College Program
• Library Services (Clarence Mitchell Library)
• Student Success Center

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 93% of transfer students report ease of credit transfer to four-year institutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia College of Missouri - FreeportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Columbia College of Missouri Freeport has been located on the HCC campus since 1996, offering bachelor's degrees in a wide range of majors. Students benefit from having a Columbia administrator and advisor on-site, enabling seamless transition from associate to bachelor's degree without leaving the region.
• Northern Illinois University (NIU) College of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement with NIU makes it easier for HCC automotive technology and wind turbine technician students and graduates to earn a Bachelor of Science in Technology degree from NIU without leaving the region.
• Western Illinois UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple agreements with WIU: Broadcasting BA direct transfer pathway (AA degree in Media Studies); Linkages partnership for dual enrollment; WIU Honors Program Agreement allowing hour-for-hour transfer of honors coursework toward Centennial Honors College requirements.
• Olivet Nazarene UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program offered on the Highland campus. Classes held once weekly in the evening and online with 21-month program completion timeline.
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) College of ACEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer agreement states that Highland students completing prescribed transfer-degree programs will be admitted to UIUC College of ACES at junior-level status in a relevant field of study.
• Illinois State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreements affecting programs including Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education Specialist in Learning and Behavior, and Special Education Specialist in Learning and Behavior Online (PULSE).
• Blackhawk Technical CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative agreement allows HCC students to access programs at BTC not available at Highland, and BTC students can access HCC programs. Students pay in-district tuition rates without out-of-district charges.
• Southwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative agreement allows HCC students to access programs at SWTC not available at Highland, and SWTC students can access HCC programs. Students pay in-district tuition rates.
• Transformative Growth CounselingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerClinical therapist from Transformative Growth Counseling provides free, confidential counseling services to students at the HCC Welcome Center. Services available in-person 4 days/week and via Zoom 1 day/week. Supports BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and first-generation students.
• VOICES of Stephenson CountycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSexual assault counselor from VOICES provides confidential services and help accessing on and off-campus assistance. Students may file confidential reports via the sexual assault reporting form.
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)coreOthersPrimary institutional accreditor: The Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604. HLC Accreditation reaffirmed November 2019. 2021 Assurance Argument completed.
• ASE Education FoundationcoreOthersSpecialized accreditation for Auto Body Repair AAS and Certificate; Automotive Mechanics, Automotive Service Level I and II Certificates.
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)coreOthersSpecialized accreditation for Medical Assistant AAS (through Medical Assisting Education Review Board/MAERB) and EMT/Paramedic AAS programs.
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)coreOthersSpecialized accreditation for Nursing AAS program preparing students for NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
• Adkins EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. Adkins Energy provides ethanol and biodiesel products.
• HelmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. Helm is an agribusiness company.
• InertiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation.
• The Morse GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. The Morse Group provides communications and technology services.
• SEAGAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. SEAGA is an agricultural cooperative.
• Winter Construction Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. Winter Construction is a building contractor established 1954.
• Woodbine Bend Golf Course & RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversal Corporate Partner supporting the Highland Community College Foundation. Woodbine Bend Golf Course is a local recreational facility.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rock Valley College: Public community college in Rockford, Illinois serving the same northwest Illinois region. Directly competes with Highland for in-district and out-of-district students across transfer and workforce programs.
• Sauk Valley Community College: Public community college in Dixon, Illinois with comparable rural service area, open enrollment, and transfer-to-Illinois-university model. Overlaps with Highland on dual credit, workforce programs, and adult education.
• Kishwaukee College: Public community college in Malta, Illinois serving DeKalb County, adjacent to Highland's Ogle County. Competes for transfer students, dual enrollment high schools, and workforce training contracts in northern Illinois.
• Illinois Valley Community College: Public community college in Oglesby, Illinois with similar rural service area, dual credit programs, and Illinois Articulation Initiative participation. Directly comparable on academic offerings and student demographics.
• Highland Community College, Kansas: Separate Kansas-based public community college sharing the Highland name, providing a like-for-like benchmark for enrollment, transfer, and rural community college operating model.

Regional players

• Blackhawk Technical College: Wisconsin technical college that has a cooperative cross-enrollment agreement with Highland. Comparable workforce and technical program mix and serves as a cross-border peer for Highland's southwest Wisconsin trade area.
• Waubonsee Community College: Illinois community college serving the Fox Valley region; comparable scale and program breadth but located in a more suburban corridor, providing an operating-model benchmark for growth-stage community colleges.
• Lake Land College: East-central Illinois community college with comparable rural service district, similar dual credit and workforce program mix, providing a relevant operating and enrollment benchmark.

Broad incumbents

• Columbia College of Missouri - Freeport: Four-year institution co-located on the Highland campus since 1996 offering bachelor's degree completion. Closely aligned partner and natural downstream competitor for transfer students in northwest Illinois.
• Moraine Valley Community College: One of the largest Illinois community colleges; benchmark for scaled dual enrollment, online program catalog, and transfer pathway management that Highland's smaller operation aspires to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/highlandcollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGWiarYnk5KB4QOMkv5rAnw
• Facebookfacebook.com/108632028931
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/1720635/highland-community-college/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-college

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highland Community College, Freeport