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De Anza College

Public Cupertino, CA · Urban · Far West · 87% data
A Value A- Diversity A- Affordability
Graduation Rate
68% B-
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$56,596 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$6,642 A-
61% less than the typical college
Enrollment
15,264
Earnings +39% vs avg
Graduation +19% vs avg
Net Price +-61% vs avg

Bottom line: A B+ overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 61.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $61.1 over 20 years.

61.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $61.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,597,964.

What The Data Says

  1. A B+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 39% above the national college median.

  3. Every $1 invested returns $61.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why De Anza College Matters

De Anza College is a public community college in Cupertino, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and low net price paired with solid completion. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
15,264
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Humanities, Social Sciences, Mechanic & Repair Tech

Why students choose De Anza College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B+
Top 16% overall
B+
Earnings
$56,596 median
A
Value
8.5× net price
A-
Affordability
$6,642/yr net
B-
Graduation
68% graduate
A-
Diversity
0.75 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

De Anza College serves over 15,000 students annually, with a graduation rate of 68%. This figure highlights the college's commitment to helping students complete their programs and transition into the workforce. The diverse range of programs, including Business & Marketing and Computer Science, makes it an attractive option for many students.

Looking at the data, graduates of De Anza College earn a median salary of $56,596 ten years after enrollment. Although specific mobility metrics are not available, the college's programs are designed to prepare students for successful careers, suggesting a positive trajectory for its graduates. The school has a substantial number of students receiving Pell Grants, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income students.

From a practical perspective, De Anza College has a low net price of $6,642, with median student debt at just $5,625. This affordability makes it an appealing choice for students seeking a quality education without the burden of significant debt. Students who thrive here are typically those who are motivated and looking for pathways into growing fields like technology and social sciences.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective De Anza College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into De Anza College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

De Anza College, located in Cupertino, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.

Retention Rate
76%
Full-Time Faculty
36%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$11,478
Student–Faculty Ratio
27:1
Diversity Index
0.75
First-Gen Students
52%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend De Anza College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at De Anza College is $12,596, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,642. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,887 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $5,625 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$1,571
Out-of-State
$12,596
Avg Net Price
$6,642
Median Debt
$5,625
Pell Grant Rate
18%
Federal Loan Rate
3%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,887
Family Income $30K–$48K
$4,834
Family Income $48K–$75K
$7,798
Family Income $110K+
$11,825

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is De Anza College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of De Anza College earn a median of $56,596, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$43,179
8 Years
$51,602
10 Years
$56,596
Debt-to-Earnings
0.1x
Earning > $25K
60%

Earnings Trajectory

$43,179 6yr $51,602 8yr $56,596 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,491)
60%
100% (1,491)
60%
100% (1,491)
60%
100% (1,491)
60%

How De Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation68%Earnings 10yr$57KNet Price$7KRetention76%Median Debt$6KPell Grant Rate18%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$6K$0-30K$5K$30-48K$8K$48-75K$12K$110K+

College ROI Calculator

Is De Anza College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, De Anza College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,642/year ($26,568 total). Graduates earn $56,596 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,624,532 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,597,964 (61.1× your investment). The median debt is $5,625, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$26,568
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,624,532
Net Return
$1,597,964
ROI Multiple
61.1×
Cost Per Year
$6,642
Median Debt
$5,625
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
68%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is De Anza College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at De Anza College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.73
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.1%
Support Ratio
0.91
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$553,178

Top Programs

The fields De Anza College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into De Anza College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

De Anza College, located in Cupertino, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend De Anza College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at De Anza College is $12,596, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,642. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,887 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $5,625 in federal student loans.

Is De Anza College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of De Anza College earn a median of $56,596, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

How Connected Is De Anza College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at De Anza College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.73, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to De Anza College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

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