Highline College
Highline College is a public community college in Des Moines, Washington, serving 14,000+ students annually with 100+ degree and certificate programs through its main campus and three satellite sites, funded by state appropriations, tuition, and grants.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Highline College does
Highline College is a public community college founded in 1961 and operated under the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Headquartered on an 80-acre main campus in Des Moines, Washington (greater Seattle area), the institution serves 14,000+ students per year with a workforce of 501-1,000 employees, offering 100+ degree and certificate programs across pathway clusters including arts, business, education, health sciences, humanities, STEM, and pre-college/ESL. The college recently produced 830+ graduates at its 2026 commencement and reports a student body that is over 80% students of color, reflecting its mission to serve the diverse South King County population.
The institution delivers education through a multi-site footprint consisting of the Des Moines main campus, the Federal Way Higher Ed Center (The Hub), the MaST Center Aquarium, and the Building 99 Outreach Center in Kent. The core technology stack is built on industry-standard third-party platforms — Canvas LMS for course delivery, ctcLink for student information, Okta for identity management, Google Tools, Handshake for career services, VitaNavis for academic planning, and Watermark for evaluation. The college also operates on-campus student housing (Campus View) and supports the student-run Thunderword newspaper and Thunderbirds Athletics.
The business model is a public-sector funding hybrid. Revenue is generated through (1) per-credit tuition from Washington state residents and higher-rate tuition from out-of-state and international students on a quarterly billing cadence, (2) primary state appropriations from Washington State via the SBCTC allocated based on enrollment and performance, (3) administration and distribution of federal (FAFSA) and state (WASFA) financial aid, and (4) federal, state, and private grants and contracts for workforce development and specific educational programs. Go-to-market relies on open-access admissions, high school partnerships (Running Start, CTE Dual Credit), campus tours, entry advising, and an active social media presence on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Strategic distribution partnerships include Direct Transfer Agreements (DTA) and Major Related Programs (MRP) with Washington four-year universities, Amazon Career Choice employer-sponsored tuition, and transit-oriented positioning relative to Sound Transit.
Highline College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Highline College
- Legal name
- Highline College
- Website
- https://highline.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Highline College is a public community college in Des Moines, Washington, serving 14,000+ students annually with 100+ degree and certificate programs through its main campus and three satellite sites, funded by state appropriations, tuition, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Highline College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community College Education
- NAICS
- Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210), Junior Colleges (61121)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)
Keywords
Where Highline College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Highline College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Public community college charging tuition per credit hour for Washington state residents and out-of-state/international students. Revenue generated from student tuition payments, including course fees and lab fees.
- State Funding (Washington State): Primary operational funding from Washington State through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). Allocation based on enrollment and performance metrics.
- Financial Aid Administration: Distribution of federal student aid (FAFSA), state aid (WASFA), grants, scholarships, and work-study funds to eligible students.
- Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and private grant funding for specific educational programs, student services, and workforce development initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Washington State Resident Tuition |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Out-of-State/International Student Tuition |
| Other | Annual | Financial Aid and Scholarships |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Highline College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Highline College is a public community college delivering associate degrees, applied bachelor's degrees, professional-technical certificates, and pre-college programs (ESL, GED, high school completion) across 100+ programs organized into pathway clusters. The institution provides open-access admissions and serves approximately 14,000 students per year through on-campus instruction at its Des Moines main campus, satellite locations in Federal Way and Kent, and online learning via Canvas LMS, supported by financial aid administration and academic support services.
Product overview
Highline College is a community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student services. The institution provides applied bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, certificates, and pre-college programs organized into pathway clusters (Art/Design/Communication, Business/Hospitality/Tourism, Education/Human Services/Law, Health/Wellness/Fitness, Humanities/Social Sciences, STEM, ELCAP, and Exploratory). The college supports students through technology tools (Canvas LMS, ctcLink, myHighline portal, Okta identity management, Handshake career platform, Watermark evaluation system), academic support services (tutoring, counseling, career services, library, computer labs), and financial aid services. Additional offerings include on-campus student housing (Campus View), the MaST Center Aquarium marine education facility, Federal Way Higher Ed Center, and the student-run Thunderword newspaper.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Thunderbirds Athletics: The college's athletic program featuring the Thunderbirds mascot
Products and services
- Degree Pathways Programs Transfer degrees, career technical programs, and applied bachelor's degrees organized into pathway clusters including Art/Design/Communication, Business/Hospitality/Tourism, Education/Human Services/Law, Health/Wellness/Fitness, Humanities/Social Sciences, STEM, and ELCAP. Offered to students seeking associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and certificates at the Des Moines main campus, Federal Way Higher Ed Center, and online.
- ELCAP (English Language, Career and Academic Prep) Pre-college program offering English language skills, GED preparation, High School Plus, I-BEST, and comprehensive transition certificates to prepare students for college-level coursework. Targeted at ESL learners, GED candidates, and students needing pre-college preparation.
- Financial Aid Services Financial assistance programs including FAFSA/WASFA applications, scholarships, grants, work study, student loans, and Amazon Career Choice partnership. Available to enrolled and prospective students to offset tuition costs.
- Academic Support Services Comprehensive academic support including Academic Success Centers, Access Services, Career & Transfer Center, Computer Labs, Counseling Center, Digital Literacy Support, ITS Help Desk, Library, MESA, TRiO, Veteran Services, and Women's Programs. Available to all enrolled students.
- Student Housing (Campus View) On-campus student housing complex offering residential options for students to live where they learn. Located at the Des Moines main campus.
- MaST Center Aquarium Marine science and technology facility operated by Highline College providing educational experiences in marine biology and environmental science, plus community engagement. Open to students and the public.
- Federal Way Higher Ed Center (The Hub) Regional higher education center in Federal Way providing collaborative educational opportunities, degree, and certificate programs to students in south King County.
- Running Start Program Dual enrollment program allowing high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit simultaneously through Running Start and CTE Dual Credit, reducing college costs and accelerating degree completion.
- Continuing Education Continuing education programs for working adults and community members seeking lifelong learning, professional development, and skill enhancement outside of degree pathways.
- Honors Program Honors program providing enhanced academic challenges, smaller cohorts, and enriched learning experiences for high-achieving students.
- Workforce Education Services Workforce development services connecting students and community members with career training, employer partnerships, and retraining opportunities, including the Amazon Career Choice program.
Quantifiable outcome
- 830+ graduates participated in 2026 Commencement ceremony
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Highline College
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Highline College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Highline College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Sound TransitminorHighline College's main campus is located near the planned Federal Way Link light rail extension. The college benefits from improved regional transit access serving students from throughout South King County, though transit-oriented development around nearby stations has been limited.
- Amazon Career ChoiceminorAmazon Career Choice program pre-pays tuition for eligible employees at Highline College, allowing working adults to pursue education while employed. This workforce development partnership supports career advancement for Amazon employees seeking degrees and certificates.
- Washington State Four-Year UniversitiescoreHighline College maintains Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) and Major Related Program (MRP) agreements with most four-year colleges and universities in Washington state, enabling seamless credit transfer for students completing associate degrees.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Highline College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Green River College: Public community college in Auburn, WA within the same SBCTC system, offering transfer (DTA) and career-technical pathways overlapping directly with Highline's program mix in South King County.
- Bellevue College: Major Washington State community college with a wide BAS and transfer portfolio; serves a neighboring segment of the Seattle metro and competes for international and transfer-bound students against Highline.
- South Seattle College: Adjacent Washington State community college serving the same Seattle-metro region with comparable associate, transfer, and workforce programs; directly competes for the same South King/West Seattle prospective-student pool as Highline.
- Pierce College Fort Steilacoom: Public Washington State community college within the SBCTC system providing two-year transfer and workforce degrees, comparable in scale, governance, and program breadth to Highline College.
- Shoreline Community College: Public community college north of Seattle in the same SBCTC system, offering comparable two-year transfer and workforce credentials; functions as a sister institution competing in the broader Seattle-metro community-college market.
- Renton Technical College: Nearby SBCTC technical college with overlapping career-technical and applied-bachelor pathways; competes for the same South King County adult-learner workforce population that Highline targets.
Regional players
- Tacoma Community College: SBCTC community college serving the Tacoma/Pierce County market with similar transfer and applied-bachelor offerings; indirect competitor for South King residents but benchmark for system-wide comparability.
- Clover Park Technical College: SBCTC technical college in Lakewood, WA focused on career-technical and workforce programs; competes for the same employer-paid tuition and adult retraining population across the South Puget Sound region.
- Edmonds College: Washington State community college in Lynnwood within SBCTC, sharing governance and funding structure with Highline and serving as a regional comparison on transfer outcomes and workforce funding.
- North Seattle College: SBCTC community college in north Seattle offering transfer, workforce, and international-student programs comparable to Highline's mix; competes across the wider Seattle metropolitan draw rather than within South King County.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Highline College social profiles
Digital presenceHighline College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Highline College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Highline College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Highline College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Highline College
What does Highline College do?
Highline College is a public community college delivering associate degrees, applied bachelor's degrees, professional-technical certificates, and pre-college programs (ESL, GED, high school completion) across 100+ programs organized into pathway clusters. The institution provides open-access admissions and serves approximately 14,000 students per year through on-campus instruction at its Des Moines main campus, satellite locations in Federal Way and Kent, and online learning via Canvas LMS, supported by financial aid administration and academic support services.
Is Highline College a public or private company?
Highline College is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Highline College founded?
Highline College was founded in 1961. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Highline College based?
Highline College is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Highline College make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are state Funding (Washington State), financial Aid Administration and grants and Contracts.
Who are Highline College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Green River College, Bellevue College, South Seattle College, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Shoreline Community College and Renton Technical College. Regional players are Tacoma Community College, Clover Park Technical College, Edmonds College and North Seattle College.
Does Highline College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Highline College.
What industry is Highline College in?
Highline College's product category is Community College Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHADAE, Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce), with a secondary code of EDAHADAH, Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges). Its NAICS code is 6112 and its SIC code is 8200.