Start strong
at Cypress College in Orange County
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Cypress College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in California. That choice turns on real numbers: transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and what the college actually costs you.
~16,000 undergrads, 27% transfer out by year 8, median $44k 10-yr earnings, $10,000 median debt.
A mid-size Cypress CC with a solid transfer-out track record
Cypress College enrolls nearly 16,000 undergrads in Orange County and transfers 27% of students to a four-year institution within eight years — a real result for a campus where 63% attend part-time. Median earnings land at $44k ten years out, and median debt is $10,000. Liberal Arts and Sciences leads program volume at 1,223 completions, with Automotive Mechanics Technology at 258 and Business Administration at 207 adding occupational breadth. In-state tuition is $1,104 and net price is $4,606. The 0% three-year loan default rate is a clean signal.
Cypress College sits in Cypress, California — a mid-size Orange County campus enrolling nearly 16,000 undergraduates, though 63% attend part-time. That part-time majority stretches timelines, which is worth accounting for when reading any outcome numbers. Liberal Arts and Sciences is the highest-volume program at 1,223 completions, a reliable marker of transfer-prep intent. Automotive Mechanics Technology produced 258 completions and Business Administration 207, giving the college an occupational dimension alongside its transfer track. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 27% — a genuine signal that students here reach and complete the transfer step. Median earnings ten years out are $44k, median debt is $10,000, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $1,104 annually, and the average net price is $4,606. For a cost-conscious California student with a clear transfer plan, these numbers hold up.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 1,223 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 258 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 207 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 151 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 124 |
| Psychology, General. | 124 |
| Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician. | 114 |
| Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer. | 78 |
| Dental Hygiene/Hygienist. | 73 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 63 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where California 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 Cypress College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data supports it for transfer-focused students. Twenty-seven percent of Cypress College students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a real result given that 63% attend part-time. In-state tuition is $1,104 and the average net price is $4,606, which limits how much debt students need. Median borrower debt is $10,000 and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $44k. That combination — low cost, a functioning transfer rate, manageable debt, and clean default record — makes Cypress a reasonable foundation for a bachelor's degree, provided you arrive with a transfer plan and use it.
- How does Cypress College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Cypress College's eight-year transfer-out rate is 27%. National research consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Cypress sits at or above that benchmark. The figure is measured over eight years, and with 63% of students attending part-time — which extends completion timelines — it reflects a real pattern of students reaching the transfer step rather than stopping short. An additional 1% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 34% had completed a credential at Cypress itself. These numbers together suggest the college functions as an active pipeline into the four-year system.
- What programs does Cypress College offer at meaningful scale?
- Cypress College's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (1,223), Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology (258), Business Administration and Management (207), Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (151), Biological and Physical Sciences (124), and Psychology (124). HVAC Technology produced 114 completions, Radiologic Technology 78, Dental Hygiene 73, and Registered Nursing 63. The mix matters: the college serves both transfer-track students through Liberal Arts, Biological Sciences, and Psychology, and occupational students through Automotive, HVAC, Radiologic Technology, Dental Hygiene, and Nursing — fields that don't require a four-year degree but produce graduates with real earnings potential.
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.