Cerritos College vs. Cerro Coso Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA with Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerritos College is larger than Cerro Coso Community College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 5,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Cerro Coso Community College is in Ridgecrest, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cerro Coso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Cerro Coso Community College 24:1.

Cerritos College vs. Cerro Coso Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Cerro Coso Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cerritos College than Cerro Coso Community College ($4,325 vs. $20,045).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 8.7% lower than at Cerro Coso Community College ($22,088 vs. $24,192).
• Cerro Coso Community College is 1.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $20 more per year; $1,384.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.7% higher at Cerritos College than at Cerro Coso Community College (about $750 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $11,254.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Cerro Coso Community College (89% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 8.4% larger than aid received by Cerro Coso Community College students ($5,925 vs. $5,464).

Cerritos College vs. Cerro Coso Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or Cerro Coso Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cerro Coso Community College and Cerritos College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cerritos College - Open admission; Cerro Coso Community College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027.

Cerritos College vs. Cerro Coso Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Cerro Coso Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Cerritos College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than Cerro Coso Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,000 vs. $32,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.