Cerro Coso Community College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, CA with Los Angeles Southwest College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cerro Coso Community College is larger than Los Angeles Southwest College based on total student enrollment (5,549 students vs. 5,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerro Coso Community College is located in Ridgecrest, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Los Angeles Southwest College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Cerro Coso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Southwest College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerro Coso Community College 24:1; Los Angeles Southwest College 22:1.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerro Coso Community College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest College than Cerro Coso Community College ($6,361 vs. $20,045).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerro Coso Community College are 4.8% lower than at Los Angeles Southwest College ($24,192 vs. $25,407).
• Cerro Coso Community College is 11.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Los Angeles Southwest College (about $146 more per year; $1,384.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.5% higher at Cerro Coso Community College than at Los Angeles Southwest College (about $682 more per year; $11,254.00 vs. $10,572.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Southwest College than at Cerro Coso Community College (86% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Southwest College students is 21.2% larger than aid received by Cerro Coso Community College students ($6,622 vs. $5,464).

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerro Coso Community College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest College and Cerro Coso Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cerro Coso Community College - Open admission; Los Angeles Southwest College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027; Los Angeles Southwest College Sep 12, 2026.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerro Coso Community College and Los Angeles Southwest 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 Cerro Coso Community College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than Los Angeles Southwest College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,600 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.