Description

In the rugged heart of the upper Mojave Desert, the Indian Wells Valley site of Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, California, features a unique astronomical observatory and an enormous Solar Photovoltaic Field, both available to students for introductory astronomy lab work as well as for developing PV instructional programs on campus.

In addition to astronomy courses, the college also offers a number of associate’s degrees and certificate programs in diverse fields like:

  • Art
  • Administrative Justice
  • Business
  • Career Technical Education
  • Emergency Medical Technology
  • Industrial Technology
  • Mathematics
  • Wind Technician

College life at Cerro Coso emphasizes the importance of community service, providing a variety of different outreach opportunities to cultivate a connection with local residents and local employers.

The school also offers a number of professional and personal development courses like yoga, acting, zumba, and more at any of its five campus locations. Students do not receive credit for these courses, but they will receive cultural enrichment, recreational enjoyment, and skill development and improvement.

Customized programs on leadership, management, and personal productivity are also offered, designed to give students additional skills necessary to navigate through job searching and securing employment. Additional courses devoted solely to Microsoft, Adobe and many more computer programs are also available.

Applications are available online. Admissions require that students attend an orientation session upon enrollment.

Financial aid is granted to eligible students through federal sources. Students must fill out a FAFSA in order to be considered.

Quick Facts

Location

Southwest

Setting

Small Town Setting

Type

Public

Size

Large (5,000 to 10,000 Undergrad)

On-Campus Housing Available

No

In-State Tuition

$624

Out-of-State Tuition

$5,448

Selectivity

Open Admissions

Enrollment

5,506

Students

Total Students
5,506

Full-Time vs. Part-time Students

Full-Time
40%
Part-Time
60%

Students Coming From In-State vs. Out-of-State

In-State
94%
Out-of-State
6%

Ethnic Diversity

African-American
4%
Asian
5%
Caucasian
66%
Latino
14%
Other
11%

Students State Origin

California
94%
Other
6%

International Students

International
0%
Domestic
100%