Start in San Antonio,
finish your degree in Texas
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Northwest Vista College before transferring to a four-year university in Texas. That decision comes down to real numbers: transfer rates, what you'll earn afterward, and what this campus actually costs you.
20,060 undergrads, 34% transfer out by year 8, median $42k 10-yr earnings, $9,400 median debt.
A solid San Antonio CC with a 34% transfer-out rate and low debt
Northwest Vista College enrolls 20,060 undergrads on the northwest side of San Antonio, with 79% attending part-time. Despite that schedule, 34% of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — well above the national community college norm. Median earnings reach $42,490 ten years out, median debt is $9,400, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. General Studies dominates completions at 1,953, with Computer Systems Networking and Early Childhood Education trailing at meaningful but smaller scale. In-district tuition is $3,270; net price is $4,525.
Northwest Vista College sits on the northwest side of San Antonio and enrolls 20,060 undergraduates — a large campus where 79% of students attend part-time, meaning most are working or managing other obligations alongside coursework. General Studies is the dominant program by completions at 1,953, a volume that reflects how many students use this CC as a transfer-prep vehicle rather than a career-specific credential. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications produced 124 completions, and Early Childhood Education and Teaching added 86. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 34%, a notably strong figure for a predominantly part-time campus. Median earnings ten years out are $42,490, median debt is $9,400, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-district tuition runs $3,270 annually and net price averages $4,525. For a San Antonio student weighing cost, transfer momentum, and career outcomes, the data makes a credible case.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| General Studies. | 1,953 |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. | 124 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 86 |
| Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects. | 72 |
| Cinematography and Film/Video Production. | 42 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 22 |
| Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. | 19 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 17 |
| Laser and Optical Technology/Technician. | 14 |
| Graphic Communications, General. | 7 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Texas 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 Northwest Vista College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The numbers support it. Thirty-four percent of Northwest Vista students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, which is a strong result — especially given that 79% of undergrads attend part-time, which extends timelines for many. In-district tuition is $3,270 and the net price averages $4,525, so cost exposure is limited. Median debt for borrowers is $9,400, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $42,490. That combination of solid transfer momentum, low debt, and clean repayment outcomes makes Northwest Vista a reasonable starting point, provided you enter with a clear four-year target and a plan for which credits transfer.
- How does Northwest Vista College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Northwest Vista's eight-year transfer-out rate is 34%. National data consistently places the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Northwest Vista sits meaningfully above that benchmark. The 34% figure is especially notable because 79% of students attend part-time — a schedule that typically suppresses transfer rates as timelines lengthen and life circumstances shift. An additional 0.8% of students were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 31% had completed a credential at Northwest Vista itself. Together, these signals suggest the college is functioning as an active pipeline into the four-year system, not just a place where transfer intent fades.
- What programs does Northwest Vista College teach at meaningful scale?
- General Studies dominates completions at 1,953 — by a wide margin over every other program. That volume reflects the transfer-prep reality of the campus: most students complete a general curriculum designed for four-year continuation rather than a narrowly vocational credential. Behind General Studies, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications produced 124 completions, Early Childhood Education and Teaching added 86, and Animation and Interactive Technology reached 72. Cinematography and Film/Video Production contributed 42. The gap between General Studies and the next-largest programs is significant: the CC's infrastructure, advising, and course scheduling are built primarily around that transfer-prep track, with technical and career programs operating at comparatively smaller scale.
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.