Downey Adult School is a public institution offering certificate degrees based in Downey, California. It enrolls 875 students (a small, tight-knit 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.
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
51/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes10
Value47
Affordability43
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Downey Adult School 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 Downey Adult School 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 $13,695 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$13,695
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
Borrowing to attend
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
$13,340
$30,001 – $48,000
$14,301
$48,001 – $75,000
$16,194
What this means:
35% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
81% of full-time students who enrolled at Downey Adult School graduate within six years, and 21% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
81%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
21%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Downey Adult School earn a median of $46,851 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$46,851
Earning > $25K
72%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.4 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Downey Adult School is home to 875 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 68% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
875
Part-Time
17%
First-Generation
68%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 65.9%577
White 16.0%140
Asian 6.3%55
Black 6.2%54
Other 3.1%27
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Downey Adult School. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbDowney, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
68%of students are 25 or older
Academic Calendar
Differs by Programscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Downey Adult School offers
a focused set of programs:
2 distinct programs across
2 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 Downey Adult School is 30:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
30:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,226
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Pros & Cons of Downey Adult School
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Downey Adult School tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Tight-knit, close community feel
Strong six-year graduation rate
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Downey Adult School is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Downey Adult School
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Downey Adult School.
Is Downey Adult School hard to get into?
Downey Adult School has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Downey Adult School?
Downey Adult School has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Downey Adult School cost?
The average net price after aid at Downey Adult School is $13,695 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Downey Adult School worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $46,851 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $13,695 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Downey Adult School known for?
Downey Adult School is best known for its programs in Practical Nursing, Legal Support. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Downey Adult School graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Downey Adult School are $46,851, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Downey Adult School accredited?
Yes. Downey Adult School is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
How many students attend Downey Adult School?
Downey Adult School enrolls 875 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Downey Adult School?
Downey Adult School graduates 81% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Downey Adult School a public or private college?
Downey Adult School is a Public institution.
Where is Downey Adult School located?
Downey Adult School is located in Downey, California.
What programs does Downey Adult School offer?
Downey Adult School offers 2 distinct programs. The most popular include Practical Nursing, Legal Support.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Downey Adult School?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Downey Adult School is 30:1, 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.
Medical Assisting
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
Related Guides
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.