Cerritos College vs. Solano College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than Solano College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 9,282 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); Solano Community College is in Fairfield, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Solano Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; Solano Community College 27:1.

Cerritos College vs. Solano College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or Solano 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 Solano College ($4,325 vs. $7,102).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Solano Community College are 0% lower than at Cerritos College ($22,086 vs. $22,088).
• Cerritos College is 16.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Solano College (about $192 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,172.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.3% higher at Cerritos College than at Solano Community College (about $2,192 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $9,812.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at Solano Community College (89% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 29.4% larger than aid received by Solano Community College students ($5,925 vs. $4,579).

Cerritos College vs. Solano College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. Solano College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and Solano 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 Solano Community College earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,100 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $3,803 lower median loan debt than Solano College graduates ($6,000 vs. $9,803).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Solano College graduates ($62 vs. $101).
• More Cerritos College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Solano College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 27%)

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.