Cerro Coso Community College vs. Riverside City College

Comparable Facts

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

Riverside City College is larger than Cerro Coso Community College based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 5,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cerro Coso Community College is located in Ridgecrest, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Riverside City College is in Riverside, CA (Large City setting).
• Cerro Coso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerro Coso Community College 24:1; Riverside City College 26:1.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Riverside City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerro Coso Community College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City College than Cerro Coso Community College ($10,174 vs. $20,045).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerro Coso Community College are 9.5% lower than at Riverside City College ($24,192 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cerro Coso Community College (about $44 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,384.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.1% higher at Riverside City College than at Cerro Coso Community College (about $1,244 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $11,254.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Riverside City College than at Cerro Coso Community College (78% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 18.3% larger than aid received by Cerro Coso Community College students ($6,463 vs. $5,464).

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Riverside City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerro Coso Community College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City 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; Riverside City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027; Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. Riverside City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerro Coso Community College and Riverside City 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 Riverside City College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than Cerro Coso Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $32,600), 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.