A transfer engine
in the heart of San Antonio
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at San Antonio College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in Texas. That choice hinges on real numbers: the transfer-out rate, the debt load you'll carry forward, and the cost of each semester out of pocket.
~20,000 undergrads, 38% transfer out by year 8, median $40k 10-yr earnings, $10,500 median debt.
A high-volume San Antonio CC with a transfer-out rate that outpaces most peers
San Antonio College enrolls nearly 20,000 undergraduates in San Antonio, and 38% transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — well above the typical community college range. General Studies dominates program volume at 1,681 completions, a strong signal that the institution functions primarily as a transfer-prep stop. Registered Nursing runs at 268 and Fire Prevention at 135 for students on terminal-credential tracks. In-district tuition is $3,270 and net price is $4,585 — among the lower sticker points in Texas. Median earnings reach $39,711 ten years out, median borrower debt is $10,500, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%.
San Antonio College enrolls nearly 20,000 undergraduates in San Antonio, with 78% attending part-time — a population that typically extends timelines and pulls aggregate outcome numbers down. Even so, the eight-year transfer-out rate is 38%, which lands well above the 15–25% band where most community colleges sit nationally. General Studies leads program volume at 1,681 completions, a clear indicator that a large share of students use SAC specifically to complete transfer-prep coursework. Registered Nursing follows at 268 and Fire Prevention and Safety at 135 for students on terminal-credential paths. In-district tuition is $3,270 annually and net price is $4,585. Median earnings ten years out are $39,711, median borrower debt is $10,500, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. For a San Antonio-area student with a clear transfer plan, the cost-to-momentum ratio here is unusually favorable.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| General Studies. | 1,681 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 268 |
| Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician. | 135 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 117 |
| Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance. | 75 |
| Criminal Justice/Police Science. | 71 |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping. | 67 |
| Teacher Education, Multiple Levels. | 65 |
| Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General. | 62 |
| Music Management. | 58 |
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 San Antonio College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The numbers make a strong case. San Antonio College's eight-year transfer-out rate is 38%, materially higher than the 15–25% band most community colleges fall within. In-district tuition is $3,270 annually and the average net price is $4,585, so accumulating heavy debt before transferring is unlikely — median borrower debt is $10,500 and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $39,711. General Studies is the dominant completion category at 1,681 students, which signals the institution functions primarily as a transfer-prep environment rather than a terminal-credential one. For a student who enters with a clear destination and a transfer plan, the numbers support SAC as a rational, low-cost first step toward a bachelor's in Texas.
- How does San Antonio College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- SAC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 38%. National research places the average community college transfer rate between 15% and 25%, so San Antonio College sits well above that band — notable given that 78% of its students attend part-time, a population that consistently transfers at lower rates. An additional 1.3% of SAC students were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 25% had completed a credential at SAC itself. Taken together, the data suggests San Antonio College functions as a genuine transfer pipeline rather than a terminal-credential institution. The part-time-heavy population means aggregate timelines run longer than a conventional two-year plan, but the transfer-out figure itself is a meaningful signal of institutional fit for students aiming at a four-year degree.
- What programs does San Antonio College teach at meaningful scale?
- SAC's largest programs by completions are General Studies (1,681), Registered Nursing (268), Fire Prevention and Safety Technology (135), Business Administration and Management (117), and Computer and Information Systems Security (75). Criminal Justice and Police Science produced 71 completions, Accounting Technology 67, Teacher Education 65, Funeral Service and Mortuary Science 62, and Music Management 58. The scale of General Studies — dwarfing every other program — confirms that the institution operates primarily as a transfer-prep environment. Alongside that, the Registered Nursing and Fire Prevention programs operate at real scale for students aiming directly at licensure-based careers, and the Cybersecurity and Business programs offer meaningful on-ramps into four-year coursework in those fields.
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.