Two years well spent
in El Cajon, California
You're deciding whether to start at Grossmont College in El Cajon before finishing a bachelor's degree elsewhere in California. That decision turns on real numbers: what the transfer-out rate actually is, what students earn a decade out, and what you'll owe when you leave.
14,440 undergrads, 29% transfer out by year 8, median $40k 10-yr earnings, $8,625 median debt.
A solid El Cajon CC with a 29% transfer-out rate and low debt
Grossmont College enrolls 14,440 undergrads in El Cajon and transfers out 29% of students within eight years — a rate that beats the national community college norm. Median earnings reach $40k ten years out, and median debt is $8,625. Liberal Arts and Sciences produces 1,600 completions annually; Business Administration adds another 576. In-state tuition is $1,288 and net price is $5,311, keeping cost manageable for California students. The three-year loan default rate is 0%.
Grossmont College sits in El Cajon, in San Diego County, and enrolls 14,440 undergraduates — a mid-size campus where 66% attend part-time. That part-time majority shapes timelines: most students here balance other obligations alongside coursework. The college's top program is Liberal Arts and Sciences, with 1,600 completions, followed by Business Administration at 576 and Biological and Physical Sciences at 288 — all fields with direct transfer-prep relevance. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 29%, which puts Grossmont solidly above the typical community college range of 15–25%. Median earnings ten years out are $40k, median borrower debt is $8,625, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $1,288 annually and the average net price is $5,311. For a San Diego-area student weighing a two-year start before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere, the numbers give a clear signal: this CC moves students toward transfer at a meaningful rate and at a cost that won't bury them in debt.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 1,600 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 576 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 288 |
| Economics, General. | 182 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 164 |
| Psychology, General. | 141 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 94 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 86 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 80 |
| Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General. | 71 |
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 Grossmont College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is supportive. Twenty-nine percent of Grossmont students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — above the national community college average of roughly 15–25%. In-state tuition is $1,288 and the average net price is $5,311, so cost exposure is limited. Median borrower debt is $8,625, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%, suggesting students who borrow here are managing it. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $40k. The 66% part-time enrollment rate means many students take longer than two years to transfer, but the 29% transfer-out figure shows the pipeline is real. Grossmont works best for students who enter with a clear target destination and a mapped-out course sequence.
- How does Grossmont College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Grossmont's eight-year transfer-out rate is 29%. National research consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Grossmont sits above that benchmark. The figure is measured over eight years, and with 66% of students attending part-time — which extends timelines — it reflects genuine transfer momentum rather than unusually long paths. An additional 1.3% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark. Taken together, the data suggests Grossmont functions as an active feeder into the four-year system, not simply an enrollment holding pattern for students who never complete the transfer step.
- What programs does Grossmont College offer at meaningful scale?
- Grossmont's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (1,600), Business Administration and Management (576), Biological and Physical Sciences (288), Economics (182), and Humanities (164). Psychology produced 141 completions, Criminal Justice 94, and Registered Nursing 86. The depth matters: Liberal Arts at 1,600 completions is a transfer-oriented credential, and Business Administration at 576 signals real infrastructure in that department. Biological and Physical Sciences at 288 shows a STEM transfer path with enough volume that advising and course availability are developed. Students aiming at business, social sciences, or science transfer tracks will find established programs, not thin offerings.
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.