Cerritos College vs. West Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

Cerritos College is larger than West Valley College based on total student enrollment (21,859 students vs. 7,655 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting); West Valley College is in Saratoga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. West Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerritos College 26:1; West Valley College 29:1.

Cerritos College vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerritos College or West Valley 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 West Valley College ($4,325 vs. $7,270).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerritos College are 37.5% lower than at West Valley College ($22,088 vs. $35,361).
• West Valley College is 9.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerritos College (about $126 more per year; $1,490.00 vs. $1,364.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.9% higher at Cerritos College than at West Valley College (about $3,302 more per year; $12,004.00 vs. $8,702.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cerritos College than at West Valley College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 23.3% larger than aid received by West Valley College students ($5,925 vs. $4,806).

Cerritos College vs. West Valley College Admissions comparison

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

Cerritos College vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerritos College and West Valley 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 West Valley College earn a median of about $6,100 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,100 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More West Valley College 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.