Cerritos College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Sierra College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 19,125 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cerritos College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Sierra 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 Sierra College ($4,325 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 38.3% lower than at Cerritos College ($13,631 vs. $22,088).
• Sierra College is 6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $82 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 730.2% higher at Cerritos College than at Sierra College (about $10,558 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Sierra College (89% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 18.4% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($5,925 vs. $5,006).

Cerritos College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Sierra 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 Sierra College earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,100 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 32%)

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.