Cerritos College vs. Mission College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cerritos College vs. Mission College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Mission 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 Mission College ($4,325 vs. $7,646).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 37.5% lower than at Mission College ($22,088 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 5.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $74 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.1% higher at Mission College than at Cerritos College (about $496 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $12,004.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Mission College (89% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 22.9% larger than aid received by Mission College students ($5,925 vs. $4,820).

Cerritos College vs. Mission College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Mission College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Mission 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 Mission College earn a median of about $7,000 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.