Start affordable
at Fresno City College
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Fresno City College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in California. The relevant questions are how many students actually transfer out, what they earn afterward, and what it costs you to get there.
28,000+ undergrads, 21% transfer out by year 8, median $37k 10-yr earnings, $4,058 median debt.
A high-volume Fresno CC that moves one in five students to a four-year school
Fresno City College enrolls over 28,000 undergrads — one of California's largest community colleges by headcount — and transfers 21% of students to a four-year institution within eight years. Median earnings ten years out are $37k, and median debt is an unusually low $4,058. Liberal Arts and Sciences dominates completions at 1,355 annually, with Health Sciences, Nursing, and Business Administration each producing 240-plus. In-state tuition is $1,288, though net price runs $8,069. The 0% three-year loan default rate is a clean signal. For a Fresno-area student with transfer intentions, the scale and cost structure make a workable case.
Fresno City College sits in Fresno, California, and enrolls more than 28,000 undergraduates — making it one of the largest community colleges in the state by headcount. Nearly three-quarters of students attend part-time, so timelines here tend to stretch. The top program by volume is Liberal Arts and Sciences, with 1,355 completions, followed by Health Sciences at 470, Nursing at 243, and Business Administration at 240 — a spread that covers the most common transfer-prep and career-technical pathways. The eight-year transfer-out rate sits at 21%, a real but modest signal. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $37k, and median debt is just $4,058. In-state tuition is $1,288, though the net price is $8,069 — higher than some California peers. The 0% three-year loan default rate adds a note of financial stability. For a cost-conscious Fresno-area student with a clear transfer plan, the infrastructure is there.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 1,355 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | 470 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 245 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 243 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 240 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 223 |
| Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair Technology/Technician, General. | 174 |
| Psychology, General. | 168 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 152 |
| Medical/Clinical Assistant. | 130 |
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 Fresno City College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data offers a qualified yes. Twenty-one percent of Fresno City College students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a functional, if not exceptional, rate given that 74% of undergrads attend part-time. In-state tuition is $1,288 and the net price is $8,069, which is modest but not negligible. Median debt for borrowers is just $4,058, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $37k. That package — workable transfer rate, low debt exposure, clean default record — makes FCC a reasonable starting point for a bachelor's, particularly for students in the Fresno area who want to keep costs low while building toward a four-year degree.
- How does Fresno City College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Fresno City College's eight-year transfer-out rate is 21%. National research typically places the community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so FCC sits solidly within that band — not a standout, but not below average either. The context matters: nearly three-quarters of FCC students attend part-time, which extends completion and transfer timelines and tends to suppress eight-year transfer figures. An additional 3% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 26% had completed a credential at FCC itself. The combined picture suggests the college functions as a genuine transfer pipeline for students who stay engaged — but part-time enrollment is a real variable to account for when planning your timeline.
- What programs does Fresno City College offer at meaningful scale?
- Fresno City College's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (1,355), Health Services and Allied Health (470), Child Care Provider/Assistant (245), Registered Nursing (243), Business Administration and Management (240), Biology (223), Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair (174), Psychology (168), Criminal Justice (152), and Medical/Clinical Assistant (130). The range spans transfer-prep tracks — Liberal Arts, Biology, Psychology — alongside career-technical fields like Nursing and Healthcare. Students aiming at a four-year STEM or social sciences path have well-developed course infrastructure to work with, while those in health and technical fields have vocational exit options at reasonable scale.
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.