Starting in Littleton
on a path to a Colorado bachelor's
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Arapahoe Community College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in Colorado. That choice involves real numbers: transfer rates, earnings a decade out, program scale, and what it actually costs you out of pocket.
15,000 undergrads, 28% transfer out by year 8, median $48k 10-yr earnings, $11,884 median debt.
A solid Littleton CC with real transfer momentum and strong health programs
Arapahoe Community College enrolls 15,000 undergrads in Littleton, Colorado, with 81% attending part-time. Twenty-eight percent of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — above the national community college range. Median earnings reach $48k ten years out, and median debt is $11,884 with a 0% three-year loan default rate. Liberal Arts and Nursing Assistant each top 270 completions annually; EMT and Registered Nursing round out a health-focused program mix. In-state tuition is $3,940, with a net price of $11,571. The combination of a functional transfer rate and career-relevant health programs makes ACC a practical starting point for Colorado students.
Arapahoe Community College sits in Littleton, Colorado — a suburb south of Denver — and enrolls about 15,000 undergraduates. Four out of five students attend part-time, which is typical for this kind of suburban CC and means completion timelines stretch well beyond two years for most. The college's two largest programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (274) and Nursing Assistant/Aide (273), with Emergency Medical Technology at 188 and Registered Nursing at 100 — a health-heavy mix that reflects local workforce demand in the metro Denver area. The eight-year transfer-out rate sits at 28%, above what national data typically shows for community colleges and a meaningful sign that ACC functions as a genuine pipeline into four-year institutions. Median earnings ten years out are $48,341 — a respectable figure — and median borrower debt is $11,884, with a 0% three-year loan default rate. In-state tuition runs $3,940, though net price lands at $11,571 after aid. If you're a Colorado student with transfer intentions and flexibility on timeline, the numbers here hold up.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 274 |
| Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide. | 273 |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic). | 188 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 162 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 100 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 99 |
| Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General. | 94 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 86 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 75 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science. | 70 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Colorado transfers tend to go
Reflects state-aggregated IPEDS transfer-in volume — CC-specific destinations are not publicly available from IPEDS or the College Scorecard.
Frequently asked
- Is Arapahoe Community College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data makes a reasonable case. Twenty-eight percent of ACC students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, which is a solid result given that 81% of undergrads attend part-time — a pattern that typically lengthens timelines and reduces transfer rates at many CCs. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $48,341, and median borrower debt is $11,884. The three-year loan default rate is 0%, which reflects well on the affordability and manageability of costs here. In-state tuition is $3,940, though average net price is $11,571 — higher than some CCs due to aid dynamics. If you enter with a clear transfer plan and can manage the part-time pace of the campus culture, ACC offers a functional starting point.
- How does Arapahoe Community College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- ACC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 28%. National research consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so ACC sits at or above that benchmark. The 28% figure is meaningful in context: with 81% of students attending part-time, many are balancing work and other obligations that make transfer harder to complete on schedule. An additional 1.1% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 30% had completed a credential at ACC itself. The fact that the transfer rate holds above national norms despite the predominantly part-time population suggests that students who come with transfer intent are following through — not just enrolling and stalling.
- What programs does Arapahoe Community College offer at meaningful scale?
- ACC's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (274), Nursing Assistant/Aide (273), Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (188), Liberal Arts and Sciences — General Studies (162), and Registered Nursing (100). Early Childhood Education (99), Cosmetology (94), Computer and Information Sciences (86), Automotive Technology (75), and Criminal Justice (70) round out the top ten. The concentration in health-related fields — nursing aide, EMT, and registered nursing together account for 561 completions — reflects strong local healthcare sector demand in the Denver metro. For transfer-bound students, the Liberal Arts programs provide the generalist foundation most bachelor's programs accept. For career-focused students, the health track is the dominant path.
Methodology — Transfer signals reflect IPEDS Outcome Measures 8-year cohorts; earnings and debt come from the College Scorecard. Destinations are state-aggregated; we do not claim CC-specific transfer destinations without authoritative per-student tracking data.