Do Students Succeed at Cabrillo College?
Graduation rates, transfer data, and student outcome analysis for Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA.
Student Success at Cabrillo College at a Glance
Cabrillo College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Aptos, CA. Current enrollment is 9,457 students.
- 38% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 30.5% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 75% of exiters from its largest program (Accounting - Accounting AS Degree) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $9,611 per quarter after exiting Accounting - Accounting AS Degree
- 2,634 graduates across 255 programs in 2025
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 97 students used them here
Program-Level Results · Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
Verified Program Outcomes
Completion and employment results reported to the U.S. Department of Labor for Cabrillo College programs on the state Eligible Training Provider List. Missing values ("—") mean the state suppressed or did not report that metric — they never mean zero.
| Program | Completion rate | Employed 6 mo after exit | Employed 1 yr after exit | Median quarterly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Safety Fire Technology - Fire Technology AS Degree | 96% | — | — | — |
| Accounting - Accounting AS Degree | 94% | 75% | — | $9,611 |
| Human Services - Human Services AS Degree | 100% | 50% | 44% | $9,045 |
| Kinesiology - Kinesiology A.A.-T Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management - CAHM AS Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Construction and Energy Management - Construction Management AS Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Computer Applications/Business Technology - CABT AS Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Business - General Business AS Degree | 89% | — | — | — |
| Early Childhood Education - Early Childhood Education AS Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Nursing - Nursing AS Degree | 98% | 83% | 86% | — |
| CIS - Computer Support A.S. Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Business - General Business AA Degree | 100% | — | — | — |
| Dental Hygiene - Dental Hygiene AS Degree | 81% | 89% | 83% | $17,851 |
| Health Science/Community Health - Health Science AA Degree | 85% | — | — | — |
| Accounting - Accounting Certificate of Achievement | 93% | — | — | — |
| Medical Assisting - Medical Assisting AS Degree | 100% | — | 50% | — |
| Radiologic Technology - Radiologic Technology AS Degree | 94% | 100% | 94% | $20,660 |
| Phlebotomy Technician Certificate of Achievement | 80% | — | — | — |
| Medical Assisting - Medical Assisting Certificate of Achievement | — | 100% | — | $4,824 |
| Accounting - Bookkeeping Certificate of Achievement | 100% | — | — | — |
| Human Services - Human Services General Practice Certificate of Achievement | 80% | — | — | — |
| Human Services Drug and Alcohol Studies Certificate of Achievement | 100% | — | — | — |
| Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management - CAHM Certificate of Achievement | 100% | — | — | — |
| Business - General Business Certificate of Achievement | 80% | — | — | — |
| Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management - Entry Level Cook Certificate of Achievement | 100% | — | — | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA participant outcomes (trainingproviderresults.gov), PY 2023.
College-Wide Statistics · IPEDS Federal Survey
What Are the Student Outcomes at Cabrillo College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Cabrillo College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
30.5%
Working Student Success
27.6%
Transfer Out Rate
27.6%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.9%
How Cabrillo College Compares
31% of students at Cabrillo College complete their programs — a number that's neither standout nor concerning by trade-college standards. 28% transfer and 2% are continuing. The full success picture combines all three; raw completion alone undersells trade-school outcomes.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Cabrillo College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Cabrillo College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.
Understanding These Outcomes
Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.
Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.
Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.
No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.
Combined completion and transfer rate of 40.7% indicates strong student success pathways.
These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.
What Are the Transfer and Continuation Patterns at Cabrillo College?
Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway
Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.
Key Insights
First-time students have an advantage of 12.0 percentage points over transfer students, which may reflect the benefits of starting fresh at the institution.
Combined 28.5% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.
Cohort Composition
Understanding Student Pathways
First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.
Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.
Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.
Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.
Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.
What Are the Completion Rates by Student Type at Cabrillo College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Full-time students have a higher completion rate (35.2%) compared to part-time students (27.6%). Consider your work and life commitments when deciding on your enrollment status. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at Cabrillo College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 4,133 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Students
All First-time Students
Full-time First-time Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All Full-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Full-time Non-first-time Students
Time to Completion
About This Data
Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.