Cerritos College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Norwalk, California. It enrolls 18,870 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
78/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes46
Value98
Affordability71
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Cerritos College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Cerritos College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $2,424 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$2,424
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
3%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,364
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,004
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,088
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$10,236
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$1,538
$30,001 – $48,000
$1,784
$48,001 – $75,000
$3,774
$75,001 – $110,000
$6,599
Over $110,000
$7,901
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,25010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$8,447Medianpercentile
$9,75075%percentile
$17,75090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,000
↑ $553
No Pell $5,500
↓ $2,947
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $2,947
Independent students $9,500
↑ $1,053
Female students $9,000
↑ $553
Male students $8,000
↓ $447
What this means:
36% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
9% of full-time students who enrolled at Cerritos College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
9%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Cerritos College earn a median of $41,156 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,156
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$33,500
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$41,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,300, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$17.0 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Cerritos College is home to 18,870 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 60% are first-generation college students, 55% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
18,870
Part-Time
55%
First-Generation
60%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 68.3%12,888
White 12.0%2,261
Asian 7.1%1,342
Black 6.6%1,240
Other 2.5%474
International 0.3%53
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Cerritos College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbNorwalk, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
40%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Cerritos College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
82 distinct programs across
29 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cerritos College is 38:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
38:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,551
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$129,705
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
231 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
82
35%
$140,849
Associate Professors
43
19%
$129,366
Assistant Professors
32
14%
$131,350
Instructors
74
32%
$116,841
Pros & Cons of Cerritos College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Cerritos College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Cerritos College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cerritos College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Cerritos College.
How much does Cerritos College cost?
The average net price after aid at Cerritos College is $2,424 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Cerritos College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,156 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $2,424 per year. That's roughly 17.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Cerritos College known for?
Cerritos College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biological and Physical Sciences. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Cerritos College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Cerritos College are $41,156, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Cerritos College accredited?
Yes. Cerritos College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Cerritos College?
Cerritos College enrolls 18,870 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Cerritos College?
Cerritos College graduates 9% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Cerritos College a public or private college?
Cerritos College is a Public institution.
Where is Cerritos College located?
Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, California.
What programs does Cerritos College offer?
Cerritos College offers 82 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Biological and Physical Sciences.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Cerritos College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Cerritos College is 38:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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Rankings That Feature Cerritos College
Cerritos College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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