Student Outcomes

Success rates, completion statistics, and student outcome metrics for Highline College

Des Moines, WA

Overall Completion Rate

38.6%

Working Student Success

35.2%

Transfer Out Rate

29.3%

Still Enrolled Rate

1.1%

What Happens After Students Enroll?

Eight-Year Student Outcomes

Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Highline College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.

29.0%
22.3%
47.9%
Completed
29.0%
3,326 students
Still Enrolled
0.8%
97 students
Transferred Out
22.3%
2,558 students
No Award
47.9%
5,493 students

Understanding These Outcomes

Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.

Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.

Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.

No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.

Combined completion and transfer rate of 51.3% indicates strong student success pathways.

These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.

What Are Student Transfer and Continuation Patterns?

Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway

Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.

First-Time Students(1,192 cohort size)
35.0%
35.0% completed
33.0% transferred to other institutions
Transfer-In Students(2,039 cohort size)
54.0%
54.0% completed
17.0% transferred again to other institutions
Continuing Students(1,662 cohort size)
22.0%
22.0% completed

Key Insights

Transfer students outperform first-time students by 19.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.

Combined 25.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.

Cohort Composition

1,192
First-Time
2,039
Transfer-In
1,662
Continuing

Understanding Student Pathways

First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.

Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.

Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.

Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.

Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.

What are the Completion Rates by Student Type

Full-time Students
43.4%
Part-time Students
35.2%
First-time Students
35.3%
Transfer Students
47.2%

What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Full-time students have a higher completion rate (43.4%) compared to part-time students (35.2%). Consider your work and life commitments when deciding on your enrollment status. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.

Student Outcomes Over Time

Tracking the 2015–16 entering cohort of 8,819 students — the four-year mark is the natural bachelor's degree milestone, with outcomes tracked through year 8.

After 4 Years

112
Bachelor's Degrees
151
Certificates
2,807
Associate Degrees
3,070
Total Awards
35%
Completion Rate

After 6 Years

162
Bachelor's Degrees
144
Certificates
2,937
Associate Degrees
3,243
Total Awards
37%
Completion Rate

After 8 Years (Final)

196
Bachelor's Degrees
144
Certificates
2,986
Associate Degrees
3,326
Total Awards
38%
Completion Rate

Final Student Status

38%
Graduated
1%
Still Enrolled Here
29%
Enrolled Elsewhere
0%
Status Unknown

Completion Breakdown by Cohort

Full-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 704
8-Year Rate: 56%

All First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 2,039
8-Year Rate: 54%

Part-time First-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 1,335
8-Year Rate: 52%

Full-time Non-first-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 858
8-Year Rate: 51%

All Full-time Students

Cohort Size: 2,335
8-Year Rate: 46%

All Non-first-time Transfer Students

Cohort Size: 3,926
8-Year Rate: 37%

Full-time First-time Students

Cohort Size: 509
8-Year Rate: 36%

All First-time Students

Cohort Size: 1,192
8-Year Rate: 35%

Time to Completion

Average time: 5 years
Median time: 5 years
Complete on time: 35.5%

About This Data

Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.

0 of 3
+ Add school+ Add school+ Add school
Compare Now