Orange Coast College

What Orange Coast College does

Orange Coast College (OCC) is a public two-year community college established in 1947 and operated by the Coast Community College District (CCCD) in Costa Mesa, California. It delivers associate-degree, certificate, transfer-preparation, and career-technical-education programs to a student body drawn from Orange County, Southern California, and 70+ international origin countries, and it explicitly positions itself as the #1 community college in Orange County for combined UC and CSU transfers, supported by 28 Associate Degrees for Transfer and exclusive guaranteed transfer agreements. The college's operating surface spans 135+ academic and career programs across 13 career clusters, including niche offerings such as Professional Mariner training at the Newport Beach Waterfront Campus, alongside a layered student-support stack (Student Health Center, Mental Health Services, Transfer Center, Athletics with 100+ state and national championships, Visual and Performing Arts) and the recently opened The Harbour — the first large-scale on-campus housing facility at any Southern California community college, accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year.

OCC's revenue model is the standard California community college structure: state apportionment calibrated to enrollment, system-wide enrollment and health/parking fees paid by individual students (e.g., $28 health fee per semester, $48 regular / $30 discounted parking permit, $5 daily virtual parking permit via Passport Parking App), augmented by private philanthropy such as the $6 million Samueli Foundation grant for STEM and workforce development and tuition for non-credit programs such as the IEC Intensive English Program ($950 for a 3-week pre-semester session). The go-to-market motion is sales-led multi-channel: domestic admissions, transfer-program outreach, international student recruitment through the Global Engagement Center, and career-technical pipelines into the Career Advantage cluster. Distribution blends in-person instruction at the Costa Mesa and Newport Beach campuses with online/hybrid delivery through the Canvas LMS and the MyCoast single-sign-on student portal, plus a new international channel launched in November 2024 via the Transfer Abroad Network — a platform connecting U.S. community college graduates to international universities that lists 13 universities and 400+ majors.

Operating technology is administrative rather than productized: MyCoast (student portal backed by Azure AD/SSO), Canvas LMS, Gmail-integrated student email, a student health portal, and a License Plate Recognition (LPR)-based virtual parking permit system that replaces physical decals. OCC carries no disclosed AI/ML products or proprietary software; its brand and transfer outcomes are the primary competitive differentiators. The institution is led by President Angelica L. Suarez, overseen by the CCCD Board of Trustees, and continues to receive significant private grant funding alongside state support.

Name

Orange Coast College

Legal name

Orange Coast College

Website

https://orangecoastcollege.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Orange Coast College is a public community college in Costa Mesa, California (founded 1947) offering 135+ academic and career programs, 28 Associate Degrees for Transfer, and on-campus housing to transfer-oriented, international, and CTE students, ranking #1 in Orange County for UC/CSU transfers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF), Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• University transfer pathways
• Career technical education
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State Funding and Government Grants: Community colleges receive state funding based on enrollment and performance metrics. OCC receives significant state and federal support including STEM education funding.
2. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Students pay enrollment fees per unit, with additional health fees and parking permits. This is the primary revenue stream for community college operations.
3. Private Foundation Grants: OCC receives substantial private philanthropy including the Samueli Foundation's $6 million grant for STEM education and workforce development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Orange Coast College is a public community college delivering credit academic instruction across 135+ programs and 13 career clusters, including 28 Associate Degrees for Transfer, career technical education, professional mariner training at its Waterfront Campus, and visual and performing arts. It packages this instruction with student support services such as on-campus housing (The Harbour), health and mental health services, transfer counseling, athletics, equity programs, and an Intensive English Program for international students.

Product overview

Orange Coast College is a community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student support services. The institution provides over 135 academic and career programs with 28 Associate Degrees for Transfer, positioning itself as the #1 community college in Orange County for combined UC and CSU transfers. The college operates a multi-service model combining academic instruction with extensive student support, including on-campus housing (The Harbour), Student Health Center, Mental Health Services, Athletics, Visual and Performing Arts, and specialized equity programs (CLEEO Project, Umoja Community, Multicultural Center, Student Equity Programs). International services include the Global Engagement Center with IEC Intensive English Program and study abroad options. Infrastructure services include LPR-based virtual parking permits and Canvas LMS-powered online learning through the MyCoast student portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Harbour: On-campus student housing facility - The first large-scale student housing at Orange Coast College and the first community college housing in Southern California
• OCC Waterfront Campus
• Student Equity
• Multicultural Center
• Global Engagement Center (GEC)
• Caring Campus
• CLEEO Project
• Pirates' Promise Program

Products and services

• Academic and Career Programs Over 135 academic and career programs across 13 career clusters, including 28 Associate Degrees for Transfer. Programs prepare students for transfer to four-year universities or immediate workforce entry.
• The Harbour On-Campus Student Housing On-campus student housing facility offering accommodations for students. The Harbour is the first large-scale on-campus housing in Southern California for a community college, providing residential students with 24-hour overnight parking access in designated spaces.
• OCC Waterfront Campus Newport Beach campus location offering Professional Mariner training, sailing instruction, and comprehensive academic programs with instruction along the Southern California coast.
• OCC Athletics Athletics program with over 100 state and national championships, offering competitive sports teams as part of the Pirates athletic program.
• Visual and Performing Arts Arts programs including music, drama, dance, and visual arts, offering performances and shows featuring students, faculty, and guest artists at accessible prices.
• IEC Intensive English Program English language instruction program for international students, including academic skills preparation, cultural orientation, and the Academic Skills Early Fall Start pre-semester intensive program.
• Global Engagement Center Services International student services and study abroad programs, including international admissions, newly admitted student support, advising, IEC Intensive English Program, and study abroad opportunities.
• Career Advantage Program Career preparation program within 13 career clusters offering marketable skills for high-demand jobs in California, helping students transition directly into the workforce.
• Transfer Center Services Comprehensive transfer services including transfer counseling, application assistance, university representative visits, and guaranteed transfer agreements with multiple colleges and universities.
• Virtual Parking Permits License Plate Recognition (LPR)-based virtual parking system replacing physical permits. Students register vehicles online, and the license plate functions as the parking permit, enforced through LPR cameras.

Quantifiable outcome

• OCC is the #1 Community College in Orange County for combined UC and CSU transfers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Transfer Abroad NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Transfer Abroad Network is a new venture launched in November 2024 that created a platform enabling U.S. community college graduates to transfer directly to international universities. Orange Coast College became the first community college partner, having previously piloted the concept with marine science students transferring to James Cook University in Australia.
• James Cook UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCC previously piloted the international transfer concept by helping marine science students transfer to James Cook University in Australia to complete bachelor's degrees.
• Queen's University BelfastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueen's University Belfast has launched a scholarship specifically for TAN transfer students, creating additional pathways for community college graduates.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Golden West College: Sister institution within the Coast Community College District (CCCD), also a public California community college serving Orange County with transfer and CTE programs. Directly comparable governance, funding model, and student base.
• Coastline College: Third CCCD member institution, also a public California community college in Orange County offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, and workforce training — directly comparable operating model to OCC.
• Santa Monica College: One of the largest California community colleges with strong transfer outcomes, international student programs, and a broad CTE portfolio — a directly comparable large urban/suburban public community college.
• Pasadena City College: Large California community college with extensive transfer programs, athletics, and student-support services — directly comparable mission, scale, and California community-college funding model.
• Mt. San Antonio College: One of the largest California community colleges with a broad CTE and transfer portfolio — highly comparable scale, program breadth, and California funding model.
• De Anza College: Large Northern California community college with strong transfer outcomes and a diverse international student body. Comparable mission and program structure though in a different regional market.

Regional players

• Irvine Valley College: Orange County public community college with associate-degree and transfer pathways. Strongly comparable geography and student demographic, but located in south OC and does not directly compete head-to-head in OCC's primary service area.
• Saddleback College: South Orange County public community college offering transfer, CTE, and continuing education. Comparable California community college model, but serves a different sub-region of OC.

Broad incumbents

• Miami Dade College: Largest community college in the US with very broad program offerings, large international enrollment, and significant athletics — comparable in scale and mission though operating under a different state system.
• Houston Community College: Large multi-campus US community college system offering transfer, CTE, and workforce programs at scale. Comparable broad public-community-college mission though a different state/funding regime.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orangecoast
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/orangecoastcollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/28124781093
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orange-coast-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/orangecoastcollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orange Coast College