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You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Hillsborough Community College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in Florida. That choice comes down to real numbers: transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and what this CC actually costs you out of pocket.
21,000+ undergrads, 25% transfer out by year 8, median $41k 10-yr earnings, $9,762 median debt.
Tampa's large CC with a solid transfer-out track record and low debt
Hillsborough Community College enrolls over 21,000 undergrads in Tampa and sends 25% to a four-year institution within eight years — above the national community college norm. Median earnings land at $41k ten years out, and median debt is $9,762 with a 0% three-year loan default rate. Liberal Arts produces 2,444 completions annually, and health-focused programs — Radiologist Assistant (1,429) and Registered Nursing (270) — operate at real scale. In-state tuition is $1,925 and net price is $3,861, keeping costs well below most four-year alternatives.
Hillsborough Community College sits in Tampa, Florida, and enrolls just over 21,000 undergraduates — a large campus where 53% of students attend part-time. That part-time majority shapes completion timelines: students here often balance jobs or family alongside coursework. The top program by completions volume is Liberal Arts and Sciences at 2,444, a common springboard for transfer-bound students. Health programs stand out: the college confers 1,429 Radiologist Assistant credentials and 270 Registered Nursing completions annually. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 25%, a meaningful signal that HCC functions as an active pipeline into Florida's four-year system. Median earnings ten years out are $41k, median debt is $9,762, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition runs $1,925 per year, with a net price of $3,861 — a low-cost entry point for students with a clear bachelor's plan.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 2,444 |
| Radiologist Assistant. | 1,429 |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic). | 425 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 277 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 270 |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping. | 105 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 103 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 76 |
| Information Technology. | 71 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 70 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Florida 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 Hillsborough Community College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data supports it for most students with a transfer plan. Twenty-five percent of HCC students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a solid result given that 53% of undergrads attend part-time, which naturally extends completion timelines. In-state tuition is $1,925 and the average net price is $3,861, so significant debt accumulation here is unlikely — median borrower debt is $9,762. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $41k, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. That combination of low cost, functional transfer rate, and clean debt profile makes HCC a reasonable foundation for a bachelor's, provided you arrive with a defined major direction and transfer target.
- How does Hillsborough Community College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- HCC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 25%. National research consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so HCC sits at the top of that benchmark. The figure is measured over eight years, and given that more than half of HCC students attend part-time — which extends timelines considerably — it reflects genuine transfer movement rather than a favorable measurement window. An additional 1.2% of students were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 35% had completed a credential at HCC itself. Together, these numbers indicate HCC is functioning as an active feeder into Florida's four-year system.
- What programs does Hillsborough Community College offer at meaningful scale?
- HCC's highest-volume programs by completions are Liberal Arts and Sciences (2,444) and Radiologist Assistant (1,429) — both operating at a scale that signals well-developed advising, course sections, and completion infrastructure. EMT Paramedic produced 425 completions, Business Administration and Management 277, and Registered Nursing 270. Further down the list: Accounting Technology (105), Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Administration (103), and Information Technology (71). The concentration in health fields — Radiologist Assistant, EMT Paramedic, and Nursing together account for over 2,100 completions — means HCC functions as a significant regional health workforce pipeline alongside its transfer-oriented Liberal Arts track.
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.