The Rio Grande Valley's CC
as your Texas transfer starting point
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at South Texas College in McAllen before finishing a bachelor's at a Texas four-year. That decision turns on real numbers: the transfer-out rate, what you'll actually pay, and what earnings look like a decade out.
27,431 undergrads, 25% transfer out by year 8, median $37k 10-yr earnings, net price $1,751.
A large Rio Grande Valley CC with a 25% transfer rate and a rock-bottom net price
South Texas College enrolls 27,431 undergrads in McAllen, deep in the Rio Grande Valley, with 65% attending part-time. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 25% and completion at STC itself is 35% — a combined 60% of students reach a meaningful outcome. Net price is remarkably low at $1,751 annually, and in-state tuition is $5,100. Median earnings ten years out are $36,788, modest but real given the low upfront cost. General Studies dominates completions at 1,107, followed by Welding Technology (480), Liberal Arts (354), and Computer and Information Sciences (345). Registered Nursing produced 238 completions. For a Valley student weighing a transfer path, STC offers real scale at near-zero cost.
South Texas College is a large community college serving the Rio Grande Valley from McAllen, enrolling 27,431 undergraduates — 65% of them part-time. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 25%, and another 35% complete a credential at STC itself, a combined outcome rate that's strong for a CC this size. General Studies leads program volume with 1,107 completions, a clear signal that STC functions as a transfer pipeline. Welding Technology follows at 480 completions, with Liberal Arts (354), Computer and Information Sciences (345), and Business (300) filling out the top tier. What makes STC unusual is the cost side: net price is $1,751 annually and in-state tuition is $5,100 — among the lowest in Texas. Median earnings ten years out are $36,788. For a Valley student weighing a bachelor's path, STC pairs real transfer momentum with near-zero upfront cost.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| General Studies. | 1,107 |
| Welding Technology/Welder. | 480 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 354 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | 345 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 300 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 298 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 241 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 238 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 159 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training. | 149 |
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 South Texas College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The numbers make a strong case, especially on cost. South Texas College's eight-year transfer-out rate is 25%, which is at the upper end of the typical community college range. Another 35% of students complete a credential at STC itself, so roughly 60% of students reach some documented outcome within eight years. Net price is $1,751 annually — about as low as any accredited community college in the country — and in-state tuition is $5,100. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $36,788. The 65% part-time attendance rate means timelines can stretch beyond two years, but for a Rio Grande Valley student with a clear transfer plan, STC offers an unusually affordable on-ramp to a four-year degree at a Texas public university.
- How does South Texas College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- STC's eight-year transfer-out rate is 25%, which sits at the high end of the national community college range of roughly 15–25%. That's a solid signal, especially given the 65% part-time attendance rate — part-time students consistently transfer at lower rates nationally because life circumstances compete with academic momentum. An additional 35% of STC students complete a credential at STC itself, putting the combined outcome rate near 60%. Taken together, the data suggests STC functions as a genuine transfer pipeline for the Rio Grande Valley, not just a credential mill. Students who can commit to a continuous academic schedule are likely to beat the aggregate number.
- What programs does South Texas College offer at meaningful scale?
- STC's largest program by far is General Studies at 1,107 completions — a transfer-prep pattern typical of community colleges that feed state universities. Welding Technology follows at 480 completions, a substantive trade presence. Liberal Arts and Sciences produced 354 completions, Computer and Information Sciences 345, and the two business programs — Business/Commerce and Business Administration — produced 300 and 298 respectively. Criminal Justice came in at 241, Registered Nursing at 238, Biology at 159, and Licensed Practical Nursing at 149. The mix is notable: a dominant transfer-prep track alongside substantive programs in welding, computing, business, and two nursing pathways. Valley students aiming at either a four-year transfer or a direct-to-work credential have real program infrastructure to work with.
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.