Awards and Transfers

There has been an overall shift toward Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) as more ADT degrees have become available to students with steady growth in ADT completions coupled with substantial growth in certificates awarded annually. Transfers to UC and CSU remained somewhat stable over the past five years then saw growth in 2020-21, with fewer students choosing an in-state private or out-of-state institution than in prior years. However, Latinx and African American/Black students continue to lag in transfer rates compared to those of Asian, white and Filipinx students. 

Source: DAIRP

Degrees awarded dipped in 2019-20 but picked up again in 2020-21. The overall share of awards conferred has shifted from a majority of AA/AS degrees to a mix of AA/AS and Associate Degrees for Transfer as more ADT degrees have become available to students. Certificates awarded have also increased steadily. 

Source: UC Office of the President, CSU Chancellors Office and Community College Chancellor’s Office for in-state private and out of state.

Total transfers spiked in 2017-18 and decreased the two subsequent years, then saw growth again in 2020-21 with 946 UC transfers and 1,612 CSU transfers (not yet graphed). The CSU continues to comprise the greatest proportion of transfers at 55%, followed by UC at 35% and In-State-Private and Out-of-State (ISP-OS) institutions at 11%. 

Source: CalPass Plus Student Success Metrics. Pacific Islander, Native American and Decline to State suppressed due to small sample sizes. Among students with an educational goal of degree or transfer who earned 12 or more units at any time and at any college and who exited the community college system in the prior year, the number who enrolled in a four-year institution in the selected year.

When tracking a cohort of students with intent to transfer, disaggregated by various student groups, LGBTQ+ students have the lowest transfer rates for the three years in which data is avaialable. This is followed by Veterans, Foster Youth students and Latinx and African American/Black students, as displayed in the chart above and visually below. 

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