Highline College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Spokane, Washington · Private nonprofit · Open access
Highline College is a private institution located in Spokane, Washington. For the most recent reporting cycle, Highline College admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 87%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1212 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $25,884 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Highline College is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Highline College?
Highline College has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores Highline College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–650, with an EBRW midpoint near 590. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–29. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
How much does Highline College actually cost?
Published tuition is $50,920 for in-state students and $50,920 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,700 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $25,884 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 28% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in Washington parents ask about
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus43% acceptance
- Washington State University85% acceptance
- Seattle University76% acceptance
- Gonzaga University92% acceptance
- Pacific Lutheran University91% acceptance
- University of Puget Sound81% acceptance
- Whitman College76% acceptance
- Green River College76% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Highline College
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Highline College recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Highline College
What GPA do I need for Highline College?
Highline College has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Highline College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–650, with an EBRW midpoint near 590. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–29.
How much does Highline College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Highline College after grants and scholarships is $25,884 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Highline College realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Highline College is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.