Top Community Colleges in the Los Angeles Area

If you're looking for a community college in or around Los Angeles, you might be overwhelmed with the nearly 60 schools to choose from in the greater Los Angeles area. The top community colleges are ranked by graduation and transfer rates of students who receive their associate degrees and move on to a traditional four-year college or university. California's two-year public colleges have a 39 percent overall graduation and transfer rate, according to College Measures.org. Schools in the Los Angeles area with higher graduation and transfer rates are among the best.

With a graduation and transfer rate of over 52 percent, Irvine Valley College transfer students are given priority consideration to schools such as the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Irvine. The school, which is located within 50 miles of nine colleges and universities, boasts a student population of nearly 15,000 students. An honors program at the school enables students to take more challenging courses, making them ideal candidates for transfer to a bachelor's degree program upon completion of their associate degree. IVC offers 21 Associate in Science degree programs and 42 Associate in Arts programs.

Cypress College boasts one of the most diverse student bodies in the area and a 45 percent transfer and graduation rate. The school offers a two-year program that is the equivalent of the first two years of a bachelor's track at many California colleges, such as the University of California and California State University, making it easy for students to transfer and adjust to a more traditional educational setting. Cypress also offers over 140 certificate programs and over 50 associate degree options.

Pasadena City College educates over 30,000 students from 90 different countries, making it one of the largest community colleges in the United States. Its graduation and transfer rate of over 50 percent means that an impressive number of alumni go on to get their four-year degree. The school is consistently ranked as one of California's top community colleges. PCC offers 60 program areas that allow students to earn associate degrees and 76 career and technical programs.

Renowned for its Marine Science program, Orange Coast College has a 51.5 percent graduation and transfer rate, making it one of the most successful community colleges in the state. Along with the school's marine laboratory, it features several other facilities and resources that allow students to thrive while participating in more than 135 programs of study. Almost half of OCC's students are enrolled in one of the college's Career and Technical Education programs.