Cerritos College vs. Riverside City College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Riverside City College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 21,730 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cerritos College vs. Riverside City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City College ($4,325 vs. $10,174).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 17.4% lower than at Riverside City College ($22,088 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 4.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $64 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.1% higher at Riverside City College than at Cerritos College (about $494 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $12,004.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Riverside City College (89% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 9.1% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($6,463 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. Riverside City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City 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; Riverside City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026.

Cerritos College vs. Riverside City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Riverside City 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 Riverside City College earn a median of about $1,000 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Riverside City College graduates ($6,000 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $20 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Riverside City College graduates ($62 vs. $82).
• More Riverside City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.