Cerritos College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 19,550 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Palomar College 25:1.

Cerritos College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Palomar 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 Palomar College ($4,325 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,088 vs. $25,804).
• Cerritos College is 0.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $10 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.7% higher at Cerritos College than at Palomar College (about $1,354 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Palomar College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 19.2% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,925 vs. $4,972).

Cerritos College vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Palomar 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 Palomar College earn a median of about $4,700 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Palomar College graduates ($6,000 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Palomar College graduates ($62 vs. $72).
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar 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.