Public · Community college
Compton College
Compton, California · Large suburb
- 10%
- Transfer rate
- $12,647
- Avg net price
- 27%
- Grad / completion
- $34,181
- Median earnings
Compton College is a public associate-granting institution in Compton, California (large suburb setting), enrolling 3,142 undergraduates. It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Admission is open to all applicants.
About Compton, California
Compton is a city located in the Gateway Cities region of southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. In 1767, the area became part of the Province of the Californias (Spanish: Provincia de las Californias), and the area was explored by the Portolá expedition in 1769–1770. Steve Lacy and blues musician Keb' Mo' are also from Compton. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Large suburb
- Highest degree offered
- Associate
- Nearest big city
- 12 miles to Los Angeles, CA
- To the ocean
- 7 miles
- Nearest airport
- 5 miles to Long Beach (LGB) · major hub
How Compton College compares
Higher than 9% · #367 of 382 in California
Higher than 11%
Higher than 46% · #219 of 326 in California
Cheaper than 59% · #124 cheapest of 377 in California
Lower than 44%
Larger than 87%
Percentiles compare Compton College with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in California.
Student body
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White2.0%
- Black37%
- Hispanic52%
- Asian2.1%
- Other or multiracial6.6%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 3,142
- Student–faculty ratio
- 17 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 27%
- First-generation students
- —
- Students over 25
- 36%
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $101,295
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Where students come from
Home state of the 551 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.
- From California98%
- Other U.S. states0.7%
- International0.9%
Most first-years stay in state — Compton College draws overwhelmingly from California.
1% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $1,142
- Out-of-state tuition
- $8,822
- Room & board
- —
- Books & supplies
- $1,062
- Total cost of attendance
- $20,447
- Average net price
- $12,647
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated
- 27%
- First-year retention
- 50%
- Transferred to another college
- 10%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $28,922
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $34,181
- Median debt at graduation
- —
- Students with federal loans
- 3%
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- No
- Application fee
- Free
- Athletics
- CCCAA
- Varsity athletes
- 239 (165 men · 74 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (9)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- C
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 2.4 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 7
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 30
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (5,225 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
Reported offenses in an average year
The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.
By offense type, per year
Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Compton College funds essentially no grants of its own — almost all aid here comes from federal (Pell), state, or outside sources rather than the school's own discount. Its sticker price is what it is.
Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid, 2022–23 full-time first-year undergraduates.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $3,683 (11%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 83°F
- Winter low
- 47°F
- Annual rain
- 12″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Long Beach Daugherty Fld, CA US station (5.9 mi from campus).
What Compton College graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Compton College
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Compton College side by side →
Barstow Community College
Barstow, California · Distant town · 65 mi to Riverside
- Students
- 2,657
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 8%
- Earnings
- $35k
Porterville College
Porterville, California · Small suburb · 47 mi to Bakersfield
- Students
- 2,834
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 7%
- Earnings
- $36k
Lassen Community College
Susanville, California · Remote town · 76 mi to Reno
- Students
- 1,741
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 14%
- Earnings
- $36k
Coalinga College
Coalinga, California · Remote town · 52 mi to Fresno
- Students
- 2,522
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 12%
- Earnings
- $38k
Cerro Coso Community College
Ridgecrest, California · Fringe rural · 77 mi to Bakersfield
- Students
- 3,171
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 13%
- Earnings
- $35k
Palo Verde College
Blythe, California · Distant rural · 149 mi to Phoenix
- Students
- 3,381
- Tuition
- $1k
- Transfer
- 10%
- Earnings
- $36k
Colleges near Compton College
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA · Public · Bachelor's · 12,538 students
Healthcare Career College
Paramount, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 447 students
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 282 students
Victory Career College
Carson, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 100 students
National Polytechnic College
Lakewood, CA · Private for-profit · Associate · 516 students
California Healing Arts College
Carson, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 243 students
UEI College-Gardena
Gardena, CA · Private for-profit · Certificate · 1,332 students
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California
Long Beach, CA · Private for-profit · Associate · 1,701 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.