Cerritos College is a two-year community college located in southeastern Los Angeles County, serving students from Bellflower, Downey, Norwalk, and La Mirada, among others. Cerritos College offers associate's degrees and vocational certificates in 87 disciplines, within nine academic divisions. The faculty of dedicated professors has a distinguished reputation as experts who have conducted research and published extensively in their fields.
Cerritos College ranks third in the State of California among community colleges for the number of associate's degrees it grants to Hispanic students.
Cerritos is unique among community colleges because it is the only community college in California with three manufacture-sponsored technician programs. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors sponsor the Advanced Transportation Technology & Energy (ATTE) program at Cerritos, which runs educational partnerships with these automotive manufacturers. The college is establishing a new alternative fuels demonstration lab and meeting a need for specialized technicians.
Cerritos College has highly recognized teacher-training programs as well. In partnership with California State University Long Beach, the Teacher TRAC program allows education students to complete their bachelor's degrees and multiple subject credentials in four years. Teacher TRAC also launched the Cerritos College Urban Teacher Fellowship in 2010, which provides services for at-risk youth who are interested in teaching K-12.
History
Cerritos College was founded in 1955.
Academics
The academic calendar at Cerritos College offers fall and spring "Semester Terms" that are available in 9-week, 15-week and 18-week sessions.
Colleges and Schools
The academic units at Cerritos College are organized into divisions, rather than colleges and schools. The Cerritos College academic divisions are:
- Business Education
- Fine Arts and Communications
- Health Occupations
- Health, Physical Education, Dance and Athletics
- Humanities/Social Sciences
- Liberal Arts
- Science, Engineering and Mathematics
- Technology
Additional Academic Programs:
- Bilingual Programs (ESL)
- Distance Education
- First Year Experience
- Summer Connections
- Learning Communities
- Teacher TRAC
Community, Industry and Technology Education (CITE):
- CITE
- Adult Education and Diversity Programs
- Community Education
- Economy Development
- Pathway Programs
- Perkins/VTEA
- Northwood University (offering four-year degrees to working business students)
Student Life
There are several student clubs and organizations available on the Cerritos College campus covering a range of interests. These are supervised by the Associated Students of Cerritos College, which also provides information on campus events and activities, including an activities calendar. The Student Center, which houses a game room, food court, and information on student housing, also offers a Culinary Arts Program.
Student services at Cerritos College include:
- Academic and Student Services
- CalWORKS
- Career Services
- Counseling
- Disabled Students Services
- Student Health
- International Students
- Job Placement
- Re-Entry Center
- Transfer Center
Traditions
The traditional school colors for Cerritos College are blue and white. The school mascot is the falcon, and the athletic teams are nicknamed the Cerritos "Falcons."
Athletics
The Cerritos Health, Physical Education, Dance and Athletics (HPEDA) Division offers 19 sports for men and women, which compete in the South Coast Conference. The Cerritos College "Falcons" athletic teams include:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross County
- Football
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Water Polo
- Wrestling
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Community Life
The district communities served by Cerritos College include the cities of:
Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, and South Gate, among others.
Cerritos offers community education, transfer programs and alumni connections to community members, as well as corporate partnerships.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $9,700. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Tuition estimates per year:
- State Residents: $1,300-$1,500
- Out-of-State: $7,900-$9,442
- Part-time students are charged:
- State Residents: $46-$55 per credit unit
- Nonresidents: $280-$340 per credit unit
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 85% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 84% | $5,186 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 3% | $4,133 |
Admissions, Academics, & Student Services
Student Services
To help students and recent graduates, Cerritos College may offer services to students like:
- Online course work available
- Weekend and night classes available
- Remedial instructional courses
- Career path counseling
- Work study style employment
- Helping students find work after graduation
- Child care
Graduation & Transfer Rates
Community colleges often times offer both career training courses and curriculum to help students transfer out to a 4-year college or university, that is why we include how Cerritos College compares for both graduation and transfer rates against other community colleges in Los Angeles County and community colleges in California in total.
| Cerritos College | Los Angeles County | California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 24.3% | 22.2% | 24.3% |
| Transfer-out Rate | 14.7% | 12.0% | 13.8% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Dental Assistant Program
- Accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (since 1961)
- Dental Hygienist Program
- Accredited by the American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation (since 1970)
- Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. ? May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (since 1990)
- Find all the other nursing programs in California
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by Cerritos College by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Architecture
- Architectural Technology (A, C)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (A)
- Microbiology (A)
- Botany
- Zoology
Business and Marketing Studies
- Retail Management (A, C)
- Business Administration (A, C)
- Commerce (A)
- Bookkeeping (A, C)
- Small Business Management (A, C)
- Administrative Assistant (A, C)
- Real Estate (A, C)
- Sales (A, C)
- International Business (A, C)
Communication Technology
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (A, C)
- Journalism (A)
- Radio and Television
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer Networking (A, C)
- Computer Programming (A)
- Computer Systems Analyst (A)
- Data Entry and Microcomputer Applications (A, C)
- Computer Science
Education
- Education, Early Childhood Special Education Programs (A)
- Educational and Instructional Media Design (C)
- Technology Teacher Education Teacher Education
Engineering
- Pre-Engineering (A)
Engineering Technology
- Engineering Technology (C)
- Manufacturing Engineering Technician (A, C)
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) (A, C)
- Plastics Engineering Technology (A, C)
English Language and Literature
- English (A)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- Women's Studies (A)
- Ethnic Studies (A)
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Child Care (A, C)
- Child Care Provider (A, C)
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Spanish Language and Literature (A)
- German Language and Literature (A)
- French Language and Literature (A)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Nursing (A)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (A, C)
- Dental Hygienist (A)
- Medical Assistant (C)
- Dental Assistant (A, C)
- Pharmacy Technician (A, C)
- Physical Therapist Assistant (A)
History
- History (A)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Biological and Physical Sciences (A)
Legal Professions and Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (A, C)
- Humanistic Studies (A)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (A)
Mechanic and Repair Technology
- Auto Mechanic (A, C)
- Auto Body (A, C)
- Industrial Electronics Technology
Personal and Culinary Services
- Cosmetology (A, C)
- Cooking and Related Culinary Arts (A, C)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (A)
Physical Sciences
Precision Production
- Welding (A, C)
- Cabinetmaking and Millwork (A, C)
- Machinist (A, C)
Psychology
- Psychology (A)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Human Services (A, C)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
- Kinesiology And Exercise Science (A)
- Physical Fitness Technician (A, C)
- Sports Medicine
Security and Protective Services
- Police Science (A)
Social Sciences
- Sociology (A)
- Political Science (A)
- Economics (A)
- Anthropology (A)
- Geography (A)
- International Relations (A)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Cinematography And Film (A)
- Art Studies (A)
- Visual and Performing Arts (A)
- Music (A)
- Dance (A)
- Graphic Design (A)
- Photography (A)
- Drawing (A)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (A)
- Ceramic Arts and Ceramics (A)
Other Community Colleges Nearby
The list of nearby schools has been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to Cerritos College.
- Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA (4 miles away)
- Cypress College in Cypress, CA (6 miles away)
- El Camino College - Compton Center in Compton, CA (6 miles away)
- Rio Hondo College in Whittier, CA (10 miles away)
- Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA (10 miles away)