Cerritos College vs. ECC

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA with El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerritos College is larger than ECC based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 21,664 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); El Camino Community College District is in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; El Camino Community College District 28:1.

Cerritos College vs. ECC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or ECC? 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 ECC ($4,325 vs. $8,837).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 12% lower than at Cerritos College ($19,431 vs. $22,088).
• Cerritos College is 19.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $220 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 57.3% higher at Cerritos College than at El Camino Community College District (about $4,374 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at El Camino Community College District (89% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 16.4% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($6,896 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. ECC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or ECC? 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 ECC 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; ECC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

Cerritos College vs. ECC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and ECC? 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 El Camino Community College District earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 25%)

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.