Low debt, real results
starting at Fullerton College
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Fullerton College in Orange County before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in California. That decision comes down to real numbers: transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and what it actually costs you out of pocket.
~19,500 undergrads, 29% transfer out by year 8, median $43k 10-yr earnings, $4,500 median debt.
Nearly 20,000 undergrads, low debt, and a 29% transfer-out rate in Orange County
Fullerton College enrolls 19,521 undergrads in Fullerton, California, with 63% attending part-time. Twenty-nine percent transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — above the national community college norm. Median earnings reach $43k ten years out, and median debt is a strikingly low $4,500. Liberal Arts and Sciences leads completions at 1,490, with Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 1,110 and Business Administration at 383. In-state tuition is $1,104; net price is $6,134. The near-zero loan default rate of 0.1% rounds out a strong cost-and-outcome profile.
Fullerton College sits in Fullerton, California, and enrolls 19,521 undergraduates — with 63% attending part-time, most students here are juggling work, family, or other responsibilities alongside coursework. The top program by volume is Liberal Arts and Sciences, with 1,490 completions, followed by Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies at 1,110 — both well-suited for students building a general foundation before transferring. Business Administration produced 383 completions. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 29%, which sits above the national community college range and signals a functioning pipeline into four-year institutions. Median earnings ten years out are $43k, median debt is just $4,500, and the three-year loan default rate is essentially zero at 0.1%. In-state tuition is $1,104, with a net price of $6,134. For a cost-conscious student in Orange County with transfer intentions, the data makes a clear case.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 1,490 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 1,110 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 383 |
| Psychology, General. | 185 |
| Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General. | 117 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 105 |
| Sociology, General. | 85 |
| Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs. | 76 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 76 |
| Radio and Television. | 60 |
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 Fullerton College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The numbers support it. Twenty-nine percent of Fullerton College students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, a result that holds up given that 63% attend part-time. In-state tuition is $1,104 and net price is $6,134, keeping debt low — median borrower debt is just $4,500. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $43k, and the three-year loan default rate is 0.1%, which is essentially zero. That combination of affordable cost, above-average transfer rate, and a very clean debt profile makes Fullerton College a solid foundation for a bachelor's, as long as you enter with a clear transfer plan and track your progress toward the courses that four-year admissions require.
- How does Fullerton College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Fullerton College's eight-year transfer-out rate is 29%. National research places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Fullerton sits above that benchmark. The 29% figure is measured over eight years, and with 63% of students attending part-time — a pattern that extends completion timelines — it reflects genuine momentum toward the transfer step rather than simple attrition. An additional 1% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 30% had completed a credential at Fullerton itself. Taken together, these numbers suggest the college functions as an active feeder into the four-year system, not just a holding pattern.
- What programs does Fullerton College offer at meaningful scale?
- Fullerton College's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (1,490) and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (1,110) — together they account for the majority of completions and serve students building broad academic foundations for transfer. Business Administration and Management produced 383 completions, Psychology 185, and Cosmetology 117. Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration contributed 105 completions, Sociology 85, and Early Childhood Special Education 76. The Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies volume in particular is notable: those programs exist almost entirely to feed students toward a four-year institution, so their scale reflects how seriously Fullerton has invested in transfer-prep infrastructure.
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.