Cerritos College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cerritos College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or CSM? 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 CSM ($4,325 vs. $5,831).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 29.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($22,088 vs. $31,288).
• Cerritos College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $32 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.4% higher at Cerritos College than at College of San Mateo (about $620 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at College of San Mateo (89% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 35.1% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,925 vs. $4,386).

Cerritos College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or CSM? 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 CSM 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; CSM - Open admission.

Cerritos College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and CSM? 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 College of San Mateo earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($6,000 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($62 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (58% 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.