Start smart
in Silicon Valley's backyard
You're deciding whether two years at De Anza College in Cupertino is the right first move toward a bachelor's degree. That means looking at real numbers: transfer rates, what students actually earn afterward, and what this college will cost you out of pocket.
17,425 undergrads, 22% transfer out by year 8, median $57k 10-yr earnings, $5,625 median debt.
A Silicon Valley CC with a solid transfer record and strong earnings
De Anza College enrolls 17,425 undergrads in Cupertino — at the heart of the Bay Area's tech economy. Twenty-two percent transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, and 45% complete a credential. Ten-year median earnings are $56,596, the highest of any California CC we've profiled, and median debt is just $5,625. Business Administration leads with 418 completions, followed by Liberal Arts at 328 and Computer Science at 144 — reflecting the region's tech-transfer demand. In-state tuition is $1,395 and net price is $6,642. The 0% three-year loan default rate rounds out a clean financial profile.
De Anza College is a community college in Cupertino, California — in the middle of Silicon Valley — enrolling 17,425 undergraduates, with about half attending part-time. Business Administration is its largest program by completions (418), and Computer Science (144) stands out given the school's geography: few community colleges sit this close to major tech employers. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 22%, a meaningful benchmark that places De Anza above the national community college midpoint. Forty-five percent complete a credential at the college itself. For students weighing this CC, the most compelling number may be 10-year median earnings: $56,596, well above typical community college outcomes. Median debt is $5,625 — low even relative to in-state tuition of $1,395 — and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. The combination of low cost, tech-adjacent programs, above-average transfer momentum, and standout post-enrollment earnings makes De Anza a strong starting point for students with a clear four-year goal.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 418 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 328 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 192 |
| Psychology, General. | 179 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 149 |
| Computer Science. | 144 |
| Mathematics, General. | 101 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 101 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 79 |
| Economics, General. | 74 |
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 De Anza College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data makes a reasonable case. De Anza's eight-year transfer-out rate is 22%, and 45% of students complete a credential at the college. Ten-year median earnings are $56,596 — high for a community college — and median debt is $5,625, with a 0% three-year loan default rate. In-state tuition is $1,395 and net price is $6,642. About half of students attend part-time, which stretches timelines, but the transfer and earnings numbers suggest the school functions as a real feeder into the four-year system. Students with a defined transfer plan and a target major — particularly in business, computer science, or sciences — are well-positioned to leverage what De Anza offers.
- How does De Anza College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- De Anza's eight-year transfer-out rate is 22%. National benchmarks for community colleges typically fall in the 15–25% range, placing De Anza at the upper portion of that band. The rate is measured over eight years, which matters because roughly half of De Anza's students attend part-time — extended timelines are the norm, not a failure signal. An additional 1% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 45% had completed a credential at De Anza itself. Together, those figures indicate the college is genuinely moving students toward completion and transfer, rather than simply holding enrollment.
- What programs does De Anza College offer at meaningful scale?
- De Anza's highest-volume programs by completions are Business Administration and Management (418), Liberal Arts and Sciences (328), Biological and Physical Sciences (192), Psychology (179), Automotive Mechanics Technology (149), Computer Science (144), Mathematics (101), and Social Sciences (101). The Computer Science volume is notable given De Anza's Cupertino location — 144 completions in that field at a community college serving a tech-dense region is a practical signal that the infrastructure for that pathway is well-developed. Business and Liberal Arts breadth means transfer-bound students targeting most four-year disciplines have a well-worn path at this college.
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.