Fullerton College
- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,366 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,134 A-
- 64% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 17,121
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 47.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $47.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $47.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,138,030.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 34% — 41% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $47.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Fullerton College Matters
Fullerton College is a public community college in Fullerton, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
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
- 17,121
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Visual & Performing Arts, Social Sciences
Why students choose Fullerton College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,134 a year after grants and scholarships — 64% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,366 ten years after enrolling — 6% above the typical college, against $4,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.19 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Fullerton College serves over 17,000 students, making it one of the larger community colleges in California. With a net price of just $6,134, it stands out as an affordable option for students seeking higher education. This financial accessibility allows many to pursue their academic goals without incurring heavy debt.
The earnings potential for graduates ten years post-enrollment is approximately $43,366. While the graduation rate sits at 34%, many students benefit from a supportive environment in diverse fields like Business, Psychology, and the Visual & Performing Arts. The college serves a varied student body, including a significant percentage of Pell Grant recipients, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income students.
Students who thrive at Fullerton College are often those who engage with campus resources and community support. The low median debt of $4,500 suggests that students can graduate with manageable financial obligations. Overall, Fullerton College presents a practical choice for students focused on affordability and earning potential.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Fullerton College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Fullerton College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Fullerton College, located in Fullerton, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Retention Rate
- 72%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 33%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,251
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 23:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.59
- First-Gen Students
- 53%
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 Fullerton College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Fullerton College is $12,379, 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 $6,134. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,944 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,150
- Out-of-State
- $12,379
- Avg Net Price
- $6,134
- Median Debt
- $4,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,944
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,200
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,915
- Family Income $110K+
- $11,574
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Fullerton College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Fullerton College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Fullerton College report median earnings of $43,366, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,531
- 8 Years
- $38,423
- 10 Years
- $43,366
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.1x
- Earning > $25K
- 49%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (241)
- 13%
- 100% (241)
- 13%
- 100% (241)
- 13%
- 100% (241)
- 13%
How Fullerton Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Fullerton College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Fullerton College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,134/year ($24,536 total). Graduates earn $43,366 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,162,566 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,138,030 (47.4× your investment). The median debt is $4,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $24,536
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,162,566
- Net Return
- $1,138,030
- ROI Multiple
- 47.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,134
- Median Debt
- $4,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields Fullerton College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 29%
- Business & Marketing 8%
- Visual & Performing Arts 5%
- Social Sciences 4%
- Psychology 3%
- Culinary & Personal Services 3%
- Communications 3%
- Criminal Justice 2%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Fullerton College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- CPurchasing Manager$131,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CTraining Manager$125,040 · 6% growthResilient 74
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Fullerton College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Fullerton College, located in Fullerton, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Fullerton College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Fullerton College is $12,379, 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 $6,134. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,944 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,500 in federal student loans.
Is Fullerton College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Fullerton College report median earnings of $43,366, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Fullerton 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 Fullerton College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.14). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Fullerton College.
- Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer32% grad $42,214 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, CA · Close peer34% grad $42,975 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Cosumnes River CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer36% grad $42,446 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- El Camino Community College DistrictTorrance, CA · Close peer39% grad $41,589 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Riverside City CollegeRiverside, CA · Close peer34% grad $41,091 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeNew York, NY · Close peer25% grad $42,306 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Fullerton 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 Fullerton College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.19, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.14). Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note