Cerritos College vs. SAC

Deciding between Cerritos College and Santa Ana College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Cerritos College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cerritos College Norwalk, CA
  • SAC Santa Ana, CA
  • Setting
  • Cerritos College Small City
  • SAC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cerritos College 21,859
  • SAC 27,248
  • Type
  • Cerritos College Public 2 Year
  • SAC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Status
  • Cerritos College Non-profit
  • SAC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cerritos College $1,364
  • SAC $1,180
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cerritos College $12,004
  • SAC $10,756
  • Room & Board
  • Cerritos College $22,088
  • SAC $22,126
  • Average Net Price
  • Cerritos College $4,325
  • SAC $5,894
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cerritos College $5,925
  • SAC $6,768
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cerritos College 89%
  • SAC 89%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Admitted
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cerritos College Open
  • SAC Open
  • Enrolled
  • Cerritos College Open
  • SAC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cerritos College Unavailable
  • SAC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • ACT Range
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • SAT Range
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cerritos College Open admission
  • SAC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Cerritos College
  • SAC Apr 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cerritos College 26:1
  • SAC 33:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cerritos College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (25%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • SAC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Work and Family Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cerritos College -
  • SAC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cerritos College $35,000
  • SAC $37,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cerritos College 35%
  • SAC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cerritos College $6,000
  • SAC $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cerritos College $62
  • SAC $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cerritos College 46%
  • SAC 58%
  • % Women
  • Cerritos College 54%
  • SAC 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cerritos College Low
  • SAC High
  • HBCU
  • Cerritos College No
  • SAC No
  • % White
  • Cerritos College 5%
  • SAC 21%
  • % Asian
  • Cerritos College 8%
  • SAC 8%
  • % Black
  • Cerritos College 3%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cerritos College 70%
  • SAC 50%
  • % Native American
  • Cerritos College 5%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cerritos College 1%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cerritos College 1%
  • SAC 1%
  • % International
  • Cerritos College 1%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cerritos College 7%
  • SAC 15%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cerritos College 97%
  • SAC 96%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cerritos College 0%
  • SAC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cerritos College No
  • SAC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cerritos College No
  • SAC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Cerritos College No
  • SAC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cerritos College Yes
  • SAC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cerritos College Yes
  • SAC Yes

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Ana College is larger than Cerritos College based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 21,859 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
  • Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

Cerritos College vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or SAC? 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 SAC ($4,325 vs. $5,894).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 0.2% lower than at Santa Ana College ($22,088 vs. $22,126).
  • Cerritos College is 15.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $184 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,180.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 11.6% higher at Cerritos College than at Santa Ana College (about $1,248 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $10,756.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College as at Santa Ana College (89% vs. 89%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 14.2% larger than aid received by Cerritos College students ($6,768 vs. $5,925).

Cerritos College vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or SAC? 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 SAC 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; SAC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027.

Cerritos College vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and SAC? 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 Santa Ana College earn a median of about $2,500 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,500 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than SAC graduates ($6,000 vs. $7,500).
  • Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SAC graduates ($62 vs. $77).
  • More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (47% 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.