Cerritos College vs. Hartnell College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Hartnell College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 11,273 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Hartnell College is in Salinas, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Hartnell College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Hartnell College 22:1.

Cerritos College vs. Hartnell College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Hartnell 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 Hartnell College ($4,325 vs. $5,246).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 23.7% lower than at Hartnell College ($22,088 vs. $28,953).
• Hartnell College is 2.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $40 more per year; $1,404.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.7% higher at Cerritos College than at Hartnell College (about $1,630 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $10,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hartnell College than at Cerritos College (94% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hartnell College students is 5.7% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($6,263 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. Hartnell College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Hartnell College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Hartnell 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 Hartnell College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,300 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hartnell College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 27%)

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.