Coastline Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Fountain Valley, California. It enrolls 7,393 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
46/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes15
Value37
Affordability17
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Coastline Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Coastline Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $16,341 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$16,341
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
9%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
1%
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)
$1,364
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,612
Room & Board (off-campus)
$23,659
Books & Supplies
$1,465
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,192
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,290
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
$16,454
$30,001 – $48,000
$19,464
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,207
$75,001 – $110,000
$21,617
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.
$1,92110%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$8,250Medianpercentile
$10,50075%percentile
$18,32590%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 $8,000
↓ $250
No Pell $4,750
↓ $3,500
Dependent students $4,500
↓ $3,750
Independent students $8,316
—
Female students $7,666
↓ $584
Male students $7,750
↓ $500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,648, close to what completers borrow ($8,250) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
15% of full-time students who enrolled at Coastline Community College graduate within six years, and 43% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
15%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
43%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Coastline Community College earn a median of $44,483 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,483
Earning > $25K
64%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
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
$41,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$46,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Declining: debt management worsening over time ↓
8.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 52% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Coastline Community College is home to 7,393 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 55% are first-generation college students, 90% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
7,393
Part-Time
90%
First-Generation
55%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 33.2%2,455
White 26.9%1,987
Asian 18.6%1,373
Black 9.9%729
Other 5.1%378
International 2.2%159
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Coastline Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityFountain Valley, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
55%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Coastline Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
33 distinct programs across
25 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Coastline Community College is 32:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
32:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$1,864
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$3.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$122,673
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
55 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
55
100%
$122,673
Pros & Cons of Coastline Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Coastline Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Most students don't qualify for need-based federal aid
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Coastline Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Coastline Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Coastline Community College.
Is Coastline Community College hard to get into?
Coastline Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Coastline Community College?
Coastline Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Coastline Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Coastline Community College is $16,341 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Coastline Community College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,483 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $16,341 per year. That's roughly 2.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Coastline Community College known for?
Coastline Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biological and Physical Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Coastline Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Coastline Community College are $44,483, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Coastline Community College accredited?
Yes. Coastline Community College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Coastline Community College?
Coastline Community College enrolls 7,393 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Coastline Community College?
Coastline Community College graduates 15% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Coastline Community College a public or private college?
Coastline Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Coastline Community College located?
Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, California.
What programs does Coastline Community College offer?
Coastline Community College offers 33 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biological and Physical Sciences.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Coastline Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Coastline Community College is 32:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in California
Other colleges in California share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
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