Kansas's first college, now a public community college serving rural northeast Kansas with transfer and technical pathways.
Highland Community College offers transfer degrees, technical certificates, and early college dual-credit programs across three physical locations and online. The college provides 30+ technical certifications and maintains an 80% completion rate. Programs span traditional liberal arts, business/commerce, education, and technical fields. The college emphasizes transferability of credits and partnerships with four-year institutions.
The main Highland campus is rural and features housing, dining, and athletic facilities. The college operates additional centers in Atchison (Technical Center) and Baileyville (Western Center) to serve broader regions. Student life includes athletics (Scotties mascot), student employment, counseling, disability services, and community resources such as the Walters Wellness Center, Yost Art Gallery, and Klinefelter Farm. The college maintains a 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Highland has open enrollment with a free application. The college accepts first-time freshmen, transfer students, technical students, international students, and online learners. Placement testing in math, reading, and English is required; the college accepts ACT and SAT scores and considers unweighted high school GPA or GED. Early College students enroll in dual-credit courses while in high school at a reduced rate of $65 per credit hour.
Highland Community College traces its origins to 1857 when the Highland Presbytery organized a Presbyterian Academy, chartered in 1858 as one of the first three institutes of higher education in Kansas Territory. The institution evolved through multiple name changes (Highland University, Highland College, Highland Junior College, etc.) and transitioned from Presbyterian control to public community college status. It is governed by a six-member Board of Trustees elected from Doniphan County residents and coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents.