Build your transfer path
in the East Bay at DVC
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Diablo Valley College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in California. That decision comes down to real numbers: what transfers actually look like, what you'll earn afterward, and what it costs you now.
17,228 undergrads, 26% transfer out by year 8, median $51k 10-yr earnings, $10,021 median debt.
A solid East Bay CC where 26% of students reach a four-year school
Diablo Valley College enrolls 17,228 undergrads in Pleasant Hill and sends 26% of them to a four-year institution within eight years — a genuine transfer signal. Median earnings sit at $51k ten years out, above many peer CCs, and median debt is $10,021 with a 0% three-year loan default rate. Liberal Arts, Computer Programming, and Health Sciences each produce hundreds of completions annually. In-state tuition is $1,288 and net price is $8,312. For a cost-conscious Bay Area student with transfer intentions, DVC offers a real, data-backed pathway.
Diablo Valley College sits in Pleasant Hill, California, roughly 30 miles east of San Francisco, and enrolls 17,228 undergraduates — 63% of whom attend part-time. That part-time majority means many students are managing work, family, or both alongside coursework, and that reality shapes completion timelines. The college's top program by volume is Liberal Arts and Sciences, with 591 completions, followed by a tie between Computer Programming and Health Sciences at 325 each, and Business Administration at 227. Those aren't narrow specializations — they're broad-access fields designed to serve students headed toward four-year transfers. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 26%, a solid figure that places DVC clearly above the lower end of the community college spectrum. Median earnings ten years out are $51k, median debt is $10,021, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $1,288, with a net price of $8,312. For a Bay Area student who wants to keep costs down while building transfer credentials, DVC's numbers support that plan.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 591 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 325 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 325 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 227 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 182 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 168 |
| Psychology, General. | 162 |
| Economics, General. | 90 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 81 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 80 |
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 Diablo Valley College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is supportive. Twenty-six percent of DVC students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, which is a meaningful result for a campus where 63% of undergrads attend part-time. In-state tuition is $1,288 and the net price is $8,312, so upfront costs are manageable. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $51k — above many comparable CCs — and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median borrower debt is $10,021, which is low relative to what most bachelor's programs cost. That combination of a functional transfer rate, low default risk, and above-average earnings makes DVC a reasonable foundation for transfer-focused students, provided you enter with a clear academic plan.
- How does Diablo Valley College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- DVC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 26%. National research consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so DVC sits at or just above that benchmark. The figure is measured over eight years, and with 63% of students attending part-time — which extends timelines considerably — it reflects real transfer activity rather than a theoretical pipeline. An additional 1.3% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 35% had completed a credential at DVC itself. Taken together, these numbers suggest DVC is actively feeding students into the four-year system, not simply holding enrollment.
- What programs does Diablo Valley College offer at meaningful scale?
- DVC's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (591), Computer Programming (325), Health Sciences (325), Business Administration and Management (227), Child Care Provider/Assistant (182), and Biological and Physical Sciences (168). Psychology produced 162 completions, Economics 90, Biology 81, and Speech Communication 80. The mix matters: whether you're building toward a STEM transfer, a business degree, or a health-related field, DVC has enough volume in those areas to support real infrastructure — course sections, advising, and completion pathways that are genuinely developed rather than thin offerings on paper.
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.