Indiana's giant
CC and what it means for your transfer plan
You're deciding whether to start at Ivy Tech Community College — Indiana's statewide CC system with over 110,000 students — before finishing a bachelor's degree elsewhere. That decision turns on real numbers: transfer-out rates, what you'll earn afterward, and what it actually costs you.
110,710 undergrads, 15% transfer out by year 8, median $37k 10-yr earnings, $10,727 median debt.
Indiana's largest CC: enormous health-care pipeline, modest transfer-out rate
Ivy Tech Community College is the largest single-accredited community college in the United States, with 110,710 undergraduates across Indiana. Despite that scale, the eight-year transfer-out rate is 15% — at the low end for a CC of this size, shaped in part by the fact that 83% of students attend part-time. Health-care programs dominate completions: nursing, allied health, and medical assisting together account for more than 8,000 certificates and degrees annually. Median earnings sit at $37,186 ten years out, median debt is $10,727, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $4,912 with a net price of $7,258. For students committed to a transfer path, Ivy Tech offers a wide program menu and a direct position in Indiana's public-university ecosystem.
Ivy Tech Community College is the largest single-accredited community college in the United States, enrolling 110,710 undergraduates spread across campuses throughout Indiana. That scale comes with a caveat: 83% of students attend part-time, which extends timelines and keeps the eight-year transfer-out rate at 15% — a real but modest pipeline figure for a CC this size. Health care dominates the program mix at meaningful volume: Nursing Assistant and Patient Care, Allied Health Services, Registered Nursing, Licensed Practical Nursing, and Medical/Clinical Assistant collectively account for more than 6,000 completions annually, making Ivy Tech a significant feeder into Indiana's health-care workforce. Liberal Arts and Sciences leads all programs with 7,556 completions — the highest-volume transfer-prep credential on campus. In-state tuition is $4,912 and net price is $7,258. Median earnings ten years out are $37,186, median debt is $10,727, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Students pursuing a transfer track at Ivy Tech need a clear four-year target: the transfer-out rate is real but not high, and at 83% part-time enrollment, staying enrolled long enough to transfer requires deliberate planning.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 7,556 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 3,084 |
| Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide. | 2,392 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other. | 1,610 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 1,481 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training. | 1,209 |
| Medical/Clinical Assistant. | 788 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 729 |
| Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist. | 708 |
| Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance). | 679 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Indiana 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 Ivy Tech Community College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- It can be, but the data calls for realistic expectations. Fifteen percent of Ivy Tech students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a meaningful number in absolute terms given the 110,710-student enrollment, but below what you'd expect from a CC with this much scale. The 83% part-time share explains much of that gap: students balancing work and family take longer and sometimes don't complete the transfer step at all. In-state tuition is $4,912 and net price is $7,258, so cost is manageable. Median debt for borrowers is $10,727 and the three-year default rate is 0%, both clean signals. Median earnings ten years out are $37,186 — modest, reflecting a student body that includes many certificate-level completers who aren't on a transfer track. If you enroll at Ivy Tech with a specific transfer target and stay enrolled full-time where possible, the cost and program breadth make it a practical starting point. Without a clear plan, the 83% part-time majority shows how easy it is to lose momentum.
- How does Ivy Tech's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Ivy Tech's eight-year transfer-out rate is 15%. National research typically places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Ivy Tech sits at the floor of that benchmark. The 83% part-time enrollment share is the most likely structural explanation: part-time students take longer to complete transfer-eligible coursework, and a significant portion stop out before reaching the transfer step. An additional 1.5% of students were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 30% had completed a credential at Ivy Tech itself — indicating that many students do finish something, but not at a four-year institution. That 30% completion rate is the CC's clearest outcome signal. For transfer-bound students, the 15% figure means Ivy Tech is not a high-throughput transfer pipeline — it is a usable one for students who actively drive toward a transfer outcome.
- What programs does Ivy Tech Community College offer at meaningful scale?
- Liberal Arts and Sciences leads at 7,556 completions — the primary transfer-prep pathway and the program most students pursuing a bachelor's degree will use. Business Administration and Management follows at 3,084 completions, a solid base for transfer into business programs at Indiana's public universities. Health care is where Ivy Tech operates at exceptional volume: Nursing Assistant and Patient Care (2,392), Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (1,610), Registered Nursing (1,481), Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training (1,209), Medical/Clinical Assistant (788), and Emergency Care Attendant (679) together represent nearly 8,200 health-care completions annually. Automotive Technology produced 729 completions. The health-care concentration is so large that it shapes the institution's overall outcome profile — many Ivy Tech graduates enter the workforce directly rather than transferring, which is part of why the earnings and transfer-out figures read the way they do.
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.