Start in Westminster,
finish a bachelor's in Colorado
You're deciding whether Front Range Community College is a smart two-year launchpad before finishing a four-year degree elsewhere in Colorado. The answer depends on transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and what this school actually costs you.
~22,000 undergrads, 33% transfer out by year 8, median $46k 10-yr earnings, $12,251 median debt.
A mid-size Westminster CC that sends a third of students to four-year schools
Front Range Community College enrolls nearly 22,000 undergrads in Westminster, Colorado, with 78% attending part-time. Its eight-year transfer-out rate of 33% exceeds most community college benchmarks. Median earnings sit at $46k ten years out, and median debt is $12,251 — reasonable for a school where in-state tuition is $3,940. Liberal Arts produces 620 completions annually; Welding and Automotive Mechanics each exceed 300. The 0% three-year loan default rate adds confidence. Students with transfer ambitions have a real, data-backed case for starting here.
Front Range Community College sits in Westminster, Colorado, and enrolls nearly 22,000 undergraduates — a substantial regional institution where 78% of students attend part-time. That part-time majority is worth noting: most students here are managing work or family alongside coursework, and timelines stretch accordingly. Liberal Arts and Sciences is the dominant transfer-prep track with 620 completions, but the college also runs Welding Technology and Automotive Mechanics at 306 and 302 completions respectively — strong vocational depth alongside its academic pipeline. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 33%, a figure that places Front Range above the typical community college range of 15–25%. Median earnings ten years out are $46k, median debt is $12,251, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $3,940, though the average net price runs higher at $13,031 — worth budgeting carefully. For a Colorado student with a clear transfer target, the numbers make a reasonable case.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 620 |
| Welding Technology/Welder. | 306 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 302 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 272 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 230 |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic). | 191 |
| General Studies. | 190 |
| Construction Trades, General. | 181 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 181 |
| Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide. | 171 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Colorado 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 Front Range Community College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is supportive. Front Range's eight-year transfer-out rate is 33%, which sits above the national community college average. In-state tuition is $3,940 annually, but the average net price is $13,031 — higher than many peer CCs — so financial aid planning matters here. Median borrower debt is $12,251, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $46k. The combination of a solid transfer rate and clean default profile makes Front Range a functional foundation for a bachelor's, but students should account for the higher net price and go in with a clear plan for which four-year institution they're targeting.
- How does Front Range Community College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Front Range's eight-year transfer-out rate is 33%. National research generally places the community college transfer rate between 15% and 25%, which means Front Range exceeds that range by a meaningful margin. Given that 78% of undergrads attend part-time — which typically extends the time to transfer — that 33% figure reflects genuine student movement into four-year institutions, not just enrollment churn. An additional 1% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 29% had completed a credential at Front Range itself. Together, these numbers suggest the college is functioning as a real transfer feeder, not a destination without a forward path.
- What programs does Front Range Community College offer at meaningful scale?
- Front Range's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (620), followed by Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other (230), and General Studies (190) — together these general-education tracks make up a large share of transfer-prep completions. On the vocational side, Welding Technology produced 306 completions and Automotive Mechanics produced 302, signals that workforce-track programs are robustly staffed and resourced. Early Childhood Education produced 272 completions. Registered Nursing added 181, and Emergency Medical Technology produced 191. The breadth is notable: whether you're aiming at a transfer path or a direct-to-workforce credential, Front Range operates these programs at scale — advising infrastructure and course sections are genuinely 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.