Start lean
in California's Inland Empire
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Mt San Jacinto Community College District before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in California. That choice comes down to real numbers: what the college actually costs, how many students successfully transfer out, and what earnings look like a decade later.
~18,000 undergrads, 26% transfer out by year 8, median $38k 10-yr earnings, 0% loan default rate.
A solid Inland Empire CC with a 26% transfer-out rate and low cost
Mt San Jacinto Community College District enrolls nearly 18,000 undergrads in San Jacinto, California, with 63% attending part-time. About 26% of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — a meaningful result for a commuter-heavy CC in the Inland Empire. Biological and Physical Sciences leads completions at 652, followed by Business Administration at 308 and Humanities at 293. In-state tuition is $1,380 and net price is $6,806. Median earnings ten years out are $38k, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%.
Mt San Jacinto Community College District is a mid-size community college in San Jacinto, California, enrolling roughly 18,000 undergrads — though 63% attend part-time, which is typical for a commuter campus serving the Inland Empire. Biological and Physical Sciences is the top program by volume at 652 completions, well ahead of Business Administration (308) and Humanities (293), giving transfer-bound students a clear STEM-leaning track alongside business and liberal arts options. About 26% of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, and another 27% complete a credential at MSJC itself. In-state tuition runs $1,380 a year and the average net price is $6,806 — well below typical four-year costs. Median earnings ten years out are $38k, with no median debt figure available, though the three-year loan default rate is 0%. For a cost-conscious California student targeting a bachelor's, MSJC's low price and functional transfer rate make it a reasonable starting point — as long as you arrive with a plan.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 652 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 308 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 293 |
| Psychology, General. | 136 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 95 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 85 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 85 |
| Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs. | 76 |
| Economics, General. | 67 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 64 |
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 Mt San Jacinto Community College District a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data is reasonably encouraging. About 26% of MSJC students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, and an additional 27% complete a credential at MSJC itself — so roughly half of enrolled students reach some form of completion. In-state tuition is $1,380 and the average net price is $6,806, which keeps debt exposure low. The three-year loan default rate is 0%, a clean signal. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $38k. The one data gap is median debt, which isn't available for this institution. Overall, MSJC functions as a working transfer pipeline for students who enter with transfer intent — the low cost and solid transfer-out rate hold up as its strongest selling points.
- How does Mt San Jacinto Community College District's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- MSJC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 26%. National benchmarks consistently place the average community college transfer rate between 15% and 25%, which puts MSJC at or just above that range. Given that 63% of students attend part-time — extending their timelines significantly — this result reflects real transfer movement, not just enrollment drift. An additional 1.7% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 27% had completed a credential at MSJC before reaching the transfer stage. The combination suggests a campus where a meaningful share of students follow through on transfer plans rather than stopping at completion of a certificate or associate degree.
- What programs does Mt San Jacinto Community College District offer at meaningful scale?
- MSJC's highest-volume programs by completions are Biological and Physical Sciences (652), Business Administration and Management (308), and Humanities (293). Psychology produced 136 completions, Criminal Justice 95, Liberal Arts and Sciences 85, and Social Sciences another 85. Education programs focused on early childhood special education logged 76 completions, Economics 67, and Child Care 64. The STEM-leaning Biological and Physical Sciences volume is notable — it's twice the size of the next-largest program. Students targeting a STEM transfer path will find more course infrastructure and completion support in that track than in most others. Business and humanities are also at workable scale, but the gap is significant.
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.