Starting strong
in Overland Park, Kansas
You're deciding whether Johnson County Community College makes sense as a two-year starting point before finishing a bachelor's degree elsewhere. The answer depends on real numbers: what JCCC costs, how many students actually transfer, and what earnings look like after graduation.
~19,000 undergrads, 28% transfer out by year 8, median $45k 10-yr earnings, $8,750 median debt.
A large Overland Park CC with a solid transfer-out track record
Johnson County Community College enrolls nearly 19,000 undergraduates in Overland Park, Kansas — one of the larger community colleges in the state. Twenty-eight percent of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, a result that sits squarely above the national community college average. Median earnings land at $45k ten years out, and median debt is $8,750, with a 0% three-year loan default rate. Liberal Arts and Sciences produces 1,272 completions annually. In-district tuition is $1,944 and net price is $14,176. Seventy-one percent of undergrads attend part-time, so timelines vary — but the transfer signal is real.
Johnson County Community College sits in Overland Park, Kansas, just southwest of Kansas City, and enrolls nearly 19,000 undergraduates — though 71% attend part-time, so the campus experience is spread across schedules and working adults as much as traditional students. The college's largest program by completions is Liberal Arts and Sciences, with 1,272 credentials annually, a reliable foundation for students targeting a four-year transfer. The health-related programs are also substantial: Nursing Assistant training produced 463 completions, and EMT programs added another 237 between Paramedic (161) and Emergency Care Attendant (76). The eight-year transfer-out rate is 28%, which is above the typical community college range and signals that JCCC functions as an active feeder into the four-year system. Median earnings for students ten years out are $45,387, median debt is $8,750, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-district tuition is $1,944 per year; net price runs $14,176. Students with a clear transfer plan and Kansas residency will find the cost-to-transfer ratio here genuinely competitive.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 1,272 |
| Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide. | 463 |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic). | 161 |
| Railroad and Railway Transportation. | 78 |
| Interior Design. | 76 |
| Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance). | 76 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 71 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 64 |
| Electrician. | 63 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training. | 62 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Kansas transfers tend to go
Reflects state-aggregated IPEDS transfer-in volume — CC-specific destinations are not publicly available from IPEDS or the College Scorecard.
| Destination | Transfers in |
|---|---|
| Fort Hays State University | — |
| Wichita State University | — |
| University of Kansas | — |
| Kansas State University | — |
| Pittsburg State University | — |
| Emporia State University | — |
| Newman University | — |
| University of Saint Mary | — |
Frequently asked
- Is Johnson County Community College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is encouraging. Twenty-eight percent of JCCC students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a figure that exceeds the national community college average, which typically falls in the 15–25% range. Seventy-one percent of undergrads attend part-time, which stretches timelines, so that 28% result reflects genuine transfer momentum rather than an easy cohort. In-district tuition is $1,944 annually and net price is $14,176. Median debt for borrowers is $8,750 — modest — and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $45,387. That combination of functional transfer rate, low default risk, and solid earnings makes JCCC a reasonable foundation, provided you enter with a specific four-year target in mind.
- How does Johnson County Community College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- JCCC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 28%. National research typically places the average community college transfer rate between 15% and 25%, so JCCC sits at or above that benchmark. The result is more meaningful when you factor in that 71% of students attend part-time — a population that historically shows lower transfer completion rates due to competing work and family obligations. An additional 1.7% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 28% had completed a credential at JCCC itself. The transfer-out figure suggests JCCC is functioning as a genuine pipeline into four-year institutions, not just a holding pattern for undecided students.
- What programs does Johnson County Community College offer at meaningful scale?
- JCCC's largest program by completions is Liberal Arts and Sciences with 1,272 — the core transfer-prep pathway for students headed to a four-year institution. Health-related programs are the next significant cluster: Nursing Assistant training produced 463 completions, EMT Paramedic added 161, and Emergency Care Attendant contributed 76 more. Railroad and Railway Transportation (78), Interior Design (76), Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (71), Business Administration and Management (64), Electrician (63), and Licensed Practical Nurse Training (62) round out the top ten. The depth in health programs is notable and speaks to JCCC's role serving the Kansas City metro workforce. For transfer-bound students, the Liberal Arts and Business Administration volumes indicate well-developed advising and course availability.
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.