Highland Community College

Frequently asked questions

About Highland Community College

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Highland Community College located?

Highland Community College is located in Freeport, IL, in the United States.

What type of institution is Highland Community College?

Highland Community College is a public community college based in IL. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

Is Highland Community College open admission?

Yes. Highland Community College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.

What is the tuition at Highland Community College?

Highland Community College's published in-state tuition is approximately $4,936 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Highland Community College?

Highland Community College reports total enrollment of approximately 1,360 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Highland Community College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Highland Community College is approximately $10,388 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $8,194 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $13,820. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Highland Community College?

Highland Community College reports a graduation rate of approximately 45% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of Highland Community College have?

Students who borrowed at Highland Community College left with a median of approximately $8,277 in federal loans, and about 16% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of Highland Community College earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $41,291 for students who received federal financial aid at Highland Community College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Highland Community College?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Highland Community College.

Does Highland Community College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Highland Community College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $51,500, above the $34,790 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Illinois, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.