Cerritos College
About
Cerritos College is a public community college in Norwalk, California, United States. It was established in 1955 after a collective regional effort through a landmark vote by residents across seven distinct school districts in the Gateway Cities of Southeast Los Angeles.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 140 Title IV programs, 7 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 132 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing7 · 5.0%
- No Data132 · 94.3%
- Failing1 · 0.7%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 4
Action history · 15
- Aug 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Hygiene (DH)
- Aug 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
- Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Assisting (DA)
- Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramAmerican Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Hygiene (DH)
- Jan 2024Grant Substantive Change: OtherAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 10,396 students received $46.5M in Pell grants, alongside $6.3M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 481 borrowers who entered repayment, 22 (4.5%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Cerritos College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 12
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus8
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Cerritos College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Cerritos College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCerritos College | 31% | Open admission | 21,859 | $2,424 | Community College |
| — | Open admission | 13,532 | $3,860 | Baccalaureate | |
| 50% | Open admission | 30,746 | $14,621 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | Open admission | 3,226 | $12,773 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,861 | $15,728 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 14,494 | $480 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 2,019 | $9,105 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 28,071 | $8,069 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 11,273 | $2,039 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,873 | $1,115 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 24,985 | $6,202 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 9,463 | $13,250 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 10,690 | $13,380 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,455 | $7,443 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,225 | $8,330 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,472 | $5,040 | Community College | |
| 0% | Open admission | 18,258 | $2,818 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | Open admission | 7,361 | $0 or less | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 4,784 | $12,301 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 17,441 | $14,379 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | Open admission | 21,730 | $8,377 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 20,969 | $2,407 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 20,986 | $12,671 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 8,423 | $1,947 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 6,320 | $2,576 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 31% | — | 12,472 | $7,756 |
Institutions like Cerritos College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Cerritos College's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateCalifornia
Antelope Valley Community College District
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment13,532Net price$3,860View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Bakersfield College
Grad rate50%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment30,746Net price$14,621View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Barstow Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment3,226Net price$12,773View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
College of the Desert
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,861Net price$15,728View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
College of the Sequoias
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment14,494Net price$480View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Copper Mountain Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment2,019Net price$9,105View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Fresno City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment28,071Net price$8,069View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Hartnell College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment11,273Net price$2,039View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Imperial Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,873Net price$1,115View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Long Beach City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment24,985Net price$6,202View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Harbor College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment9,463Net price$13,250View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Angeles Mission College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment10,690Net price$13,380View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Los Medanos College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,455Net price$7,443View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Mendocino College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,225Net price$8,330View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Merced College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,472Net price$5,040View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Modesto Junior College
Grad rate0%Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment18,258Net price$2,818View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Oxnard College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment7,361Net price$0 or lessView data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Porterville College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment4,784Net price$12,301View data - BaccalaureateCalifornia
Rio Hondo College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment17,441Net price$14,379View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Riverside City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment21,730Net price$8,377View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
San Joaquin Delta College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment20,969Net price$2,407View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Southwestern College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment20,986Net price$12,671View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Victor Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment8,423Net price$1,947View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Yuba College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment6,320Net price$2,576View data
Cerritos College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Institutional Effectiveness, Research, Planning, and Grants (IERPG) Division at Cerritos College provides unbiased research, analysis, and reporting grounded in a holistic understanding of complex college processes. Our goal is to facilitate data-informed decision-making that supports the college’s mission, strategic goals, and commitment to student success and equity.
Visit IR office page- Esthela Chavez-PradoResearch Analyst, Institutional Effectiveness, Research, Planning, and Grants
- Julia FoleyResearch Analyst, IERPG
- Amber HrochDean, Institutional Effectiveness, Research, Planning, and Grants, IERPG
- Dylan GrkinichResearch Analyst, IERPG
Reports & documents (3)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboardcerritos.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planStrategic planThis document appears to be a part of Cerritos College's institutional planning resources, listing various plans like the Educational Master Plan, IT Master Plan, and Strategic Plan spanning different years. However, the exact content or details of a new strategic plan are not provided in the text. It's a centralized hub for accessing various planning documents and institutional effectiveness resources.cerritos.edu
Grants & funding (1)
Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.
Notable alumni of Cerritos College (34)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Eric DraperArt and literature
- John SaulArt and literature
- John CorbettEntertainment
- Bobby McFerrinEntertainment
- Rodney Allen RippyEntertainment
- Han Ye-seulEntertainment
- Steve Seungjun YooEntertainment
- Anthony RendonPolitics
- Grace NapolitanoPolitics
- Art OlivierPolitics
- Bob ApodacaSports
- Rod BarajasSports
Frequently asked questions about Cerritos College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Cerritos College.
What is the acceptance rate at Cerritos College?
What is the graduation rate at Cerritos College?
How many students attend Cerritos College?
What is the average net price at Cerritos College?
Where is Cerritos College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Cerritos College?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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