Public Associate Strong 72/100

Fullerton College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Fullerton, California

About Fullerton College

Thinking about Fullerton College, a college in California where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Fullerton College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Fullerton, California. It enrolls 17,121 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
—
Net Price
$6,134
Median Earnings (10yr)
$43,366
Enrollment
17,121
Student : Faculty
24:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 48
Value 83
Affordability 51
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Fullerton College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $6,134 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$6,134
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
2%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,150
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,379
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$2,267
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,968
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,369

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $4,944
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $5,200
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $7,915
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $10,392
  • Over $110,000
    $11,574

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,750
10% percentile
$2,750
25% percentile
$4,500
Median percentile
$9,037
75% percentile
$13,000
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,626 ↑ $3,126
No Pell $5,500 ↑ $1,000
Dependent students $4,750 ↑ $250
Independent students $9,350 ↑ $4,850
Female students $6,500 ↑ $2,000
Male students $6,504 ↑ $2,004
Pell recipients: 19.0% (853 students)No Pell: 13.7% (615 students)Dependent students: 11.8% (531 students)Independent students: 23.2% (1,046 students)Female students: 16.2% (727 students)Male students: 16.2% (728 students)Overall Median$4,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,529, close to what completers borrow ($4,500) but without the degree to show for it.

Graduation Rate & Retention

73% come back after first year. A sizeable share do not return for year two. Worth asking why. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
—
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $43,366 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,366
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$33,000$36,000$39,000$42,000$45,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$34,400

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$42,900

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$36,900

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$40,600

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$47,300

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $8,500, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means: Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$7.1 of median earnings 10 years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 17,121 students, a sprawling student community. Worth knowing: 53% are the first in their family to go to college, and 58% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
17,121
Part-Time
58%
First-Generation
53%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 60.5% 10,365
White 14.8% 2,541
Asian 12.9% 2,215
Other 6.1% 1,036
Black 3.0% 508
International 1.0% 178
Hispanic: 60.5% (10,365 students)White: 14.8% (2,541 students)Asian: 12.9% (2,215 students)Other: 6.1% (1,036 students)Black: 3.0% (508 students)International: 1.0% (178 students)Total17,121

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Fullerton College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large Suburb Fullerton, California
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
27% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Interdisciplinary Studies graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Fullerton College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 72 distinct programs across 30 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

2 Programs
9 Programs
9 Programs
3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 24 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.

Student : Faculty
24:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,343
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$118,914
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

313 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Instructors 313 100% $118,914

Pros & Cons of Fullerton College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Fullerton College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Larger class sizes than typical
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Fullerton College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fullerton College

The questions families ask most about Fullerton College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Fullerton College hard to get into?
Not especially. Fullerton College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Fullerton College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Fullerton College cost?
Budget around $6,134 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Fullerton College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $43,366 a year against a net price of $6,134, about 7.1 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Fullerton College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Fullerton College graduates earn?
About $43,366 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Fullerton College accredited?
Yes. Fullerton College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Fullerton College?
17,121 students. Large, so expect big lectures and more independence in finding your own footing. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Fullerton College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Fullerton College located?
Fullerton College is located in Fullerton, California.
What programs does Fullerton College offer?
72 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Fullerton College?
24 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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