Strong transfer signal
from Baltimore County's biggest CC
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Community College of Baltimore County before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in Maryland. That decision hinges on real numbers: transfer rates, post-enrollment earnings, program depth, and what this CC actually costs you out of pocket.
16,451 undergrads, 35% transfer out by year 8, median $44k 10-yr earnings, $11,528 median debt.
A high-transfer-rate Baltimore CC with real nursing and public safety depth
Community College of Baltimore County enrolls 16,451 undergrads — 75% part-time — and sends 35% of students to a four-year institution within eight years, a rate that beats the national community college average. Median earnings reach $44k ten years out, and median debt is $11,528 with a 0% three-year loan default rate. Registered Nursing leads the health track with 195 completions; Corrections and Criminal Justice together account for over 500 completions annually, reflecting genuine public safety depth. In-district tuition is $2,928, though net price rises to $9,844, so financial aid matters. For Baltimore-area students with a clear transfer target, the transfer signal is real.
Community College of Baltimore County serves 16,451 undergraduates across the Baltimore metro area, with three-quarters attending part-time. That part-time majority shapes everything: students are often working, raising families, or both, and the timeline to transfer reflects that reality. Registered Nursing is the most prominent health program with 195 completions, and Corrections plus Criminal Justice together account for more than 500 completions annually — a public safety footprint that is unusually large for a two-year institution. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 35%, a genuine signal that a meaningful share of students do reach and complete the transfer step. Median earnings ten years out are $44k, median debt is $11,528, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-district tuition is $2,928, but net price climbs to $9,844, so students should verify their aid package before assuming cost is negligible.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 508 |
| Corrections. | 370 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 195 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science. | 142 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 135 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 121 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training. | 76 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 73 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 70 |
| Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance. | 61 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Maryland 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 Community College of Baltimore County a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is encouraging. CCBC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 35%, which is well above the national community college average — notable given that 75% of students attend part-time. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $44k, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%, both positive signs. Median debt is $11,528, which is moderate. In-district tuition is $2,928, though the average net price is $9,844, so financial aid planning matters. If you are a Baltimore-area student with a clear four-year target and a program that aligns with CCBC's strengths — health, public safety, or liberal arts — this is a functional starting point. The transfer rate is real and the debt load is manageable.
- How does Community College of Baltimore County's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- CCBC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 35%. National benchmarks for community college transfer rates typically fall between 15% and 25%, putting CCBC notably above that range. The figure is especially meaningful given that 75% of students attend part-time — extended timelines that typically suppress transfer rates. An additional 3% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 20% had completed a credential at CCBC itself. Taken together, these numbers suggest that CCBC is functioning as an active feeder into Maryland's four-year system, not simply an enrollment holding pattern. Students who enroll with a transfer intention have a better-than-average chance of following through.
- What programs does Community College of Baltimore County offer at meaningful scale?
- CCBC's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (508), Corrections (370), Registered Nursing (195), Criminal Justice/Police Science (142), and Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling (135). Liberal Arts/Liberal Studies adds another 121 completions, and Business/Commerce General and Computer and Information Sciences each contribute around 70. The public safety cluster — Corrections and Criminal Justice combined — is unusually large for a two-year institution, reflecting strong regional workforce demand. Registered Nursing and related health programs show that CCBC has genuine health-field infrastructure. If your transfer target connects to any of these areas, advising resources and course section availability are likely well-developed.
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.