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Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College Long Beach City College Cypress College West Los Angeles College SBCC Pierce College RHC De Anza College Orange Coast College Fullerton College| Cerritos College | Santa Monica College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
| Location | Norwalk, CA | Santa Monica, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,469 | 22,375 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cerritos.edu | smc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $1,104 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $10,248 | $9,048 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,784 | $11,556 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $3,812 | $6,656 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,660 | $4,650 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 86% | 64% |
Admission |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | - | ||
| Admitted | - | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | Open | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | ||||
| SAT Range | ||||
| Submit Test Scores | ||||
| Application Deadline | Aug 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 26:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $35,000 | $39,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 35% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,000 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $62 | $67 |
Diversity |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 5% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 70% | 38% | ||
| % Native American | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 98% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Cerritos College | SMC | ||
| Campus Housing | No | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Santa Monica College is larger than than Cerritos College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 19,469 students)
Cerritos College vs. SMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or SMC?
- Cerritos College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
- Out of state tuition is 13.3% higher at Cerritos College than Santa Monica College ($10,248.00 vs. $9,048.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cerritos College than SMC ($3,812 vs. $6,656)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Cerritos College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cerritos College than Santa Monica College (86% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 64.7% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($7,660 vs. $4,650)
Which college is harder to get into, Cerritos College or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or Cerritos College .
Cerritos College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cerritos College or SMC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SMC and Cerritos College.
- Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $4,000 more per year than Cerritos College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $35,000)
- Cerritos College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than SMC graduates. ($6,000 vs. $6,500)
- Cerritos College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than SMC graduates. ($62 vs. $67)
- More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cerritos College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 35%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/