Utah's largest open-enrollment campus
as a transfer launch pad in Orem
You're weighing whether to start at UVU — taking lower-division credits at in-state prices — before finishing a bachelor's here or transferring to another Utah four-year. The decision comes down to scale, transfer-out rate, price, and earnings a decade out.
45,810 undergrads, 22% transfer out by year 8, 43% complete, median $55k 10-yr earnings, $14,750 median debt.
A 45,000-student open-enrollment hybrid with real transfer volume and a manageable price tag
Utah Valley University is an open-enrollment public in Orem with 45,810 undergraduates — among the largest schools in the state — and a hybrid structure that awards both associate and bachelor's credentials. Roughly 55% attend part-time. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 22%, the completion rate is 43%, and 1% are still enrolled at year eight. Median earnings ten years out are $55,486, median borrower debt is $14,750, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. In-state tuition is $5,614 and net price is $6,376. General Studies dominates program volume at 3,612 completions, signaling a heavy feeder role for students planning to move on.
Utah Valley University enrolls 45,810 undergraduates in Orem, making it one of the largest institutions in Utah and an open-enrollment hybrid that confers both associate and bachelor's credentials. General Studies is the dominant program by a wide margin — 3,612 completions — signaling that a substantial share of UVU students use the school as lower-division groundwork before finishing a bachelor's here or moving to another Utah campus. Business Administration follows at 1,075 and Liberal Arts and Sciences at 968. The eight-year transfer-out rate is 22% and the completion rate is 43%, with 1% still enrolled at year eight. In-state tuition is $5,614, net price is $6,376, and median borrower debt is $14,750 against $55,486 in median earnings ten years out — a cost-to-outcome ratio that makes UVU a credible starting point for Utah students, provided they plan their transfer path deliberately.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| General Studies. | 3,612 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 1,075 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 968 |
| Psychology, General. | 459 |
| Design and Visual Communications, General. | 439 |
| Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew. | 414 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 363 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 296 |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 294 |
| Fire Science/Fire-fighting. | 255 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Utah 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 |
|---|---|
| University of Utah | — |
| Brigham Young University | — |
| Utah State University | — |
| Southern Utah University | — |
| Westminster University | — |
| Midwives College of Utah | — |
Frequently asked
- Is Utah Valley University a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The numbers make a reasonable case for Utah students. UVU is open-enrollment and large — 45,810 undergraduates — with an eight-year transfer-out rate of 22% and a completion rate of 43%, so roughly two-thirds of students either finish at UVU or move on within eight years. In-state tuition is $5,614 and net price is $6,376, keeping first- and second-year cost low. Median borrower debt is $14,750 with a 0% three-year loan default rate, and median earnings ten years out are $55,486. Combined with the 55% part-time population, that profile fits students who want an affordable, flexible lower-division experience before committing to a four-year destination — whether that destination is UVU itself or another Utah campus.
- How does Utah Valley University's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- UVU's eight-year transfer-out rate is 22%, which sits in the upper end of the 15–25% range national research reports for community colleges and hybrid open-enrollment institutions. The context matters: UVU is unusual because it awards both associate and bachelor's degrees, so a meaningful portion of students who could have transferred out instead complete their bachelor's here — reflected in the 43% eight-year completion rate. Only 1% are still enrolled at year eight, indicating that students who don't finish or transfer tend to leave rather than linger. For a student whose plan is to use UVU for lower-division credits and then move to another Utah four-year, the 22% transfer-out figure is a functional signal that the pathway works.
- What programs does Utah Valley University offer at meaningful scale?
- UVU's top programs by completions tilt toward transfer-ready and workforce-ready credentials. General Studies dominates at 3,612 completions — an unusually large share that underscores UVU's feeder role for students headed elsewhere. Business Administration and Management follows at 1,075, Liberal Arts and Sciences at 968, Psychology at 459, and Design and Visual Communications at 439. The mix also includes Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot (414 completions), Criminal Justice (363), Registered Nursing (296), Biology (294), and Fire Science (255). That range — from General Studies and Liberal Arts transfer blocks to applied programs like aviation, nursing, and fire science — means students can either stack lower-division credit for transfer or pursue a bachelor's in a professional track without leaving Orem.
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.