Cerritos College vs. Mendocino College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Mendocino College is in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mendocino College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Mendocino College 16:1.

Cerritos College vs. Mendocino College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Mendocino 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 Mendocino College ($4,325 vs. $9,798).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 24.9% lower than at Cerritos College ($16,580 vs. $22,088).
• Mendocino College is 4.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $59 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20% higher at Cerritos College than at Mendocino College (about $2,001 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Mendocino College (89% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 21.2% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($7,180 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. Mendocino College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or Mendocino College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Mendocino 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; Mendocino College - Open admission.

Cerritos College vs. Mendocino College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Mendocino College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Cerritos College earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,000 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $7,000 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($6,000 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($62 vs. $134).
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 30%)

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.