Cerritos College vs. City College of San Francisco

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA with City College of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerritos College is larger than City College of San Francisco based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 19,267 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); City College of San Francisco is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; City College of San Francisco 24:1.

Cerritos College vs. City College of San Francisco Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or City College of San Francisco? 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 City College of San Francisco ($4,325 vs. $9,616).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 17.9% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($22,088 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 24.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $332 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.1% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Cerritos College (about $2,652 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $12,004.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at City College of San Francisco (89% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 23.5% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($7,318 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. City College of San Francisco Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or City College of San Francisco? 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 City College of San Francisco 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; City College of San Francisco - Open admission.

Cerritos College vs. City College of San Francisco Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and City College of San Francisco? 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 City College of San Francisco earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $2,250 lower median loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates ($6,000 vs. $8,250).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $23 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of San Francisco graduates ($62 vs. $85).
• More City College of San Francisco graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 35%)

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.