by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Highline retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
How many of the estimated 2421 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 38% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 40% of the students had graduated and after eight years 41% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Highline graduation rate 40%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 2276 | 38% |
| Six Years | 2421 | 40% |
| Eight Years | 49 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 3566 | 59% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 3566 students or 59% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 3566 students who did not complete their degree?
0 are still enrolled.
1593 transferred to another institution.
Highline lost contact with the remaining 1912 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.0% |
| Transferred | 1593 | 44.7% |
| Dropped Out | 1912 | 53.6% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 50% |
| Asian | 65% |
| Black / African-American | 29% |
| Hawaiian | 43% |
| Hispanic | 37% |
| International | 10% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 28% |
| Unknown | 32% |
| White | 36% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Highline are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Examining the graduation rates of the specific cohorts shown below may be more revealing than looking at the overall graduaton rates.
First-time / full-time students at Highline College represent 13.30% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Highline graduation rate was 36%, and by the eight year mark, 37% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Highline | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 36% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 37% | 47.82% |
509 first-time / full-time students or 63% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
235 transferred to another institution.
Highline lost contact with the remaining 265 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.77% |
| Transferred | 235 | 46.17% |
| Dropped Out | 265 | 52.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Highline College represent 19.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Highline graduation rate was 27%, and by the eight year mark, 27% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Highline | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 24% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 27% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 27% | 23.72% |
850 first-time / part-time students or 73% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
10 are still enrolled.
390 transferred to another institution.
Highline lost contact with the remaining 450 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 10 | 1.18% |
| Transferred | 390 | 45.88% |
| Dropped Out | 450 | 52.94% |
Returning / full-time students at Highline College represent 25.80% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Highline graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 54% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Highline | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
713 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
12 are still enrolled.
281 transferred to another institution.
Highline lost contact with the remaining 420 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 12 | 1.68% |
| Transferred | 281 | 39.41% |
| Dropped Out | 420 | 58.91% |
Returning / part-time students at Highline College represent 41.53% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Highline graduation rate was 40%, and by the eight year mark, 40% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Highline | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 40% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 40% | 37.80% |
1494 non first-time / part-time students or 60% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
30 are still enrolled.
687 transferred to another institution.
Highline lost contact with the remaining 777 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 30 | 2.01% |
| Transferred | 687 | 45.98% |
| Dropped Out | 777 | 52.01% |
