Cerritos College vs. DVC

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA with Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerritos College is larger than DVC based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 17,228 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Diablo Valley College is in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Diablo Valley College 25:1.

Cerritos College vs. DVC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or DVC? 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 DVC ($4,325 vs. $11,001).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 4.9% lower than at Diablo Valley College ($22,088 vs. $23,238).
• Cerritos College is 4% more expensive for in-state tuition than DVC (about $52 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,312.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.3% higher at Cerritos College than at Diablo Valley College (about $1,684 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Diablo Valley College (89% vs. 61%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 33.4% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($5,925 vs. $4,441).

Cerritos College vs. DVC Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. DVC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and DVC? 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 Diablo Valley College 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.
• More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (52% 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.