Cerro Coso Community College
- Graduation Rate
- 25% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $34,963 D+
- Below average for college graduates
- Net Price
- $18,306 C
- Close to the national average
- Enrollment
- 3,171
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 11.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $11.8 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $11.8 over 20 years. Net gain: $788,374.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 25% — 55% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $11.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Cerro Coso Community College Matters
Cerro Coso Community College is a public community college in Ridgecrest, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an above-average alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 3,171
- Setting
- Rural
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose Cerro Coso Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $18,306 a year after grants and scholarships — 7% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $34,963 ten years after enrolling — 14% below the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.14 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Cerro Coso Community College has an enrollment of 3,171 students, making it a compact environment for personal attention and community engagement. The college focuses on several key programs, including Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing, and Legal Studies.
Data from Chetty/Opportunity Insights shows that while specific mobility statistics are not available, the college does have a Pell Grant rate of 15%. This suggests that a portion of the student body is receiving federal aid, indicating financial need among some students. However, the graduation rate stands at 25%, highlighting challenges in student completion and success.
The net price for attending Cerro Coso is $18,306, which can be a financial hurdle. Graduates earn an average of $34,963 ten years after enrollment. This earning potential, combined with lower debt levels for those who complete their programs, may appeal to students looking for a more affordable education. Students who thrive here are likely those seeking a supportive community and focused career paths in practical fields.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Cerro Coso Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Cerro Coso Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Ridgecrest, California, Cerro Coso Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
- Retention Rate
- 27%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 36%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,849
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 23:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.66
- First-Gen Students
- 51%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Cerro Coso Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Cerro Coso Community College is $11,254, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $18,306. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,595 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,384
- Out-of-State
- $11,254
- Avg Net Price
- $18,306
- Pell Grant Rate
- 15%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $18,595
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $13,761
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,054
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Cerro Coso Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Cerro Coso Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Cerro Coso Community College report median earnings of $34,963, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $29,462
- 8 Years
- $35,160
- 10 Years
- $34,963
- Earning > $25K
- 39%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (31)
- 14%
- 100% (31)
- 14%
- 100% (31)
- 14%
- 100% (31)
- 14%
How Cerro Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Cerro Coso Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Cerro Coso Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $18,306/year ($73,224 total). Graduates earn $34,963 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $861,598 in total earnings — a net gain of $788,374 (11.8× your investment).. With a 25% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $73,224
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $861,598
- Net Return
- $788,374
- ROI Multiple
- 11.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $18,306
- Graduation Rate
- 25%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields Cerro Coso Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 35%
- Business & Marketing 11%
- Health Professions 11%
- Computer Science & IT 10%
- Precision Production 4%
- Psychology 3%
- Legal Studies 2%
- Mathematics & Statistics 1%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Cerro Coso Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Cerro Coso Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Ridgecrest, California, Cerro Coso Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 25%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Cerro Coso Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Cerro Coso Community College is $11,254, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $18,306. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,595 after need-based grants.
Is Cerro Coso Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Cerro Coso Community College report median earnings of $34,963, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Cerro Coso Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Cerro Coso Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.14, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Cerro Coso Community College.
- Compton CollegeCompton, CA · Close peer29% grad $34,181 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Community College of VermontMontpelier, VT · Close peer22% grad $36,234 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Baltimore City Community CollegeBaltimore, MD · Close peer14% grad $36,025 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Porterville CollegePorterville, CA · Close peer32% grad $36,328 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · same state
- Finger Lakes Community CollegeCanandaigua, NY · Close peer29% grad $40,054 earnWhy: similar grad rate
- Atlantic Cape Community CollegeMays Landing, NJ · Close peer27% grad $34,241 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Cerro Coso Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs above average at Cerro Coso Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.14, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note