Cerritos College vs. Golden West College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerritos College in Norwalk, CA with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerritos College is larger than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 10,721 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Golden West College is in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Golden West College 29:1.

Cerritos College vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Golden West 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 Golden West College ($4,325 vs. $6,681).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 6.6% lower than at Golden West College ($22,088 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 1.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $16 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.2% higher at Cerritos College than at Golden West College (about $376 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $11,628.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Golden West College (89% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 15.6% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($6,849 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. Golden West College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Golden West 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 Golden West College earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $516 lower median loan debt than Cerritos College graduates ($5,484 vs. $6,000).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cerritos College graduates ($56 vs. $62).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (53% 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.