The average class size at De Anza is 35, and approximately 2,800 students transfer per year. It also attracts a heavy international student population.

Puente Project The Puente Project is a program offered at De Anza that helps underserved students transfer to 4-year institutions. "Puente" means "bridge" in Spanish, which symbolizes the "bridging" of students to higher educations due to the program. Puente is made up of three key components: English, individualized counseling, and individual mentoring. Puente students transfer from De Anza at a much higher rate than non-Puente Latino students—61% of De Anza's Puente students transfer within six years.

Career Technical Education The school provides applied technology programs including automotive technology and design and manufacturing.

The Flint Center for the Performing Arts was De Anza's main theater, seating about 2,400 people, hosting concerts, Broadway shows, dance and speaking events. Construction began in 1968 and the building was dedicated in 1971 as the Calvin C. Flint Center for the Performing Arts, named after the District Superintendent and first Chancellor. Steve Jobs introduced the original Macintosh at Apple's annual shareholders meeting held in the center in January 1984 (which was recreated in 2015 for the movie Steve Jobs). In January 1985, Jobs returned to the Flint Center to introduce the LaserWriter laser printer and its built-in PostScript technology. He also introduced the iMac there in 1998. The Flint Center was permanently closed in 2019 due to structural and seismic concerns and demolished in 2024 to make way for a new Creative Arts Building.