Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance (COA) at Highline College is an estimate of the expenses a student may have during nine months of education. This includes both direct and indirect costs and is based on the average expenses of past students.
Direct Costs
Direct costs refer to the expenses that you pay directly to the school, such as tuition fees and sometimes books. Other direct costs include miscellaneous fees like parking permits or library fines. If you do not have any financial aid assistance, you will need to pay these costs at the Cashier’s Office.
Indirect Costs
Indirect costs are other important costs you must consider when deciding where to go to school. These expenses are paid to other people or organizations while you’re in school, and they include things like rent, utilities, food, clothing, and transportation.
This estimate is calculated for every financial aid package and the total aid package cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance. Below are our most common Cost of Attendance budgets. You can see the Cost of Attendance we’ve assigned to you on your ctcLink Student Portal.
| Resident Living at Home | Resident Living on Own | BAS Program, Resident Living on Own | Non-Resident Living on Own | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees* | $4,344 | $4,344 | $6,966 | $9,948 |
| Books | $702 | $702 | $702 | $702 |
| Housing | $7,944 | $16,512 | $16,512 | $16,512 |
| Transportation | $1,622 | $1,622 | $1,622 | $1,622 |
| Misc. Expenses | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Total | $16,412 | $24,980 | $27,602 | $30,584 |
Note: These tables reflect a standard nine-month budget for pursuing a 2-year associate’s degree or certificate at Highline. These totals are based on a student enrolled in 16 or more credits (at least half-time). The cost of Attendance is established annually by the Washington Financial Aid Associate and varies by institution.