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Compton martin luther king monumentPhoto: Epolk at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0
Colleges in and near Compton

Compton is home to Compton College

Compton College (3,330 students on campus) is inside the city, and California State University-Dominguez Hills (13,167) is 2.6 miles from the center, just over the line in Carson. About 6% of Compton’s residents are enrolled in college, below California (8%).

Compton CollegeCalifornia State University-Dominguez HillsUEI College-Gardena

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Compton. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
52
267,608 students on campus
Nearest college
1.5 mi
Compton College
Residents in college
6%
Below CA (8%)
Nearest community college
1.5 mi
Compton College · $1,142 tuition
Nearest public university
2.6 mi
California State University-Dominguez Hills · $7,449 in-state
Median household income
$78K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Compton

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

Three colleges within 3.4 milesCalifornia State University-Dominguez Hills admits 93% of applicants. Together they have 17,612 students on campus.A community college 1.5 miles awayCompton College in Compton: tuition and fees $1,142 a year for California residents.In-state price at California State University-Dominguez HillsLiving in California, California State University-Dominguez Hills charges $7,449 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $20,049. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 6% of residentsBelow California (8%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Compton

36 private colleges within 14.9 miles, three public colleges within 12.4 miles, and 14 community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia State University-Los AngelesCompton
University or collegeCommunity college
Compton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,330 on campus · In Compton$13knet price27%graduate$34kearningsTuition and fees: $1,142 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Charles R Drew University of Medicine and ScienceUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 763 on campus · 2.4 mi · Los Angeles39%admitted$36knet price30%graduate$83kearningsCalifornia State University-Dominguez HillsUniversity or college · Public · 13,167 on campus · 2.6 mi · Carson93%admitted$9knet price43%graduate$57kearningsUEI College-GardenaUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,115 on campus · 3.4 mi · Gardena$29knet price60%graduate$31kearningsEarnings are reported for all 5 campuses that file with it.Healthcare Career CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 381 on campus · 4.5 mi · Paramount$14knet price71%graduate$33kearningsLos Angeles Southwest CollegeCommunity college · Public · 1,754 on campus · 5.1 mi · Los Angeles · mostly online$6knet price34%graduate$32kearnings67% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.National Polytechnic CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 299 on campus · 5.3 mi · Lakewood$31knet price47%graduate$31kearningsEl Camino Community College DistrictCommunity college · Public · 15,562 on campus · 5.9 mi · Torrance$6knet price42%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $1,144 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Long Beach City CollegeCommunity college · Public · 17,484 on campus · 6.7 mi · Long Beach$6knet price30%graduate$39kearningsTuition and fees: $1,556 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Universal Technical Institute-Southern CaliforniaUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,447 on campus · 6.7 mi · Long Beach$28knet price63%graduate$53kearningsEarnings are reported for all 6 campuses that file with it.American University of Health SciencesUniversity or college · For-profit · 523 on campus · 7.4 mi · Signal Hill50%admitted50%graduate$94kearningsPCI CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 163 on campus · 7.4 mi · Cerritos$27knet price68%graduate$36kearningsCerritos CollegeCommunity college · Public · 13,757 on campus · 7.5 mi · Norwalk$2knet price31%graduate$41kearningsTuition and fees: $1,364 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.North-West College-Long BeachUniversity or college · For-profit · 576 on campus · 7.8 mi · Long Beach$34knet price58%graduate$40kearningsEarnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.Los Angeles Harbor CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,447 on campus · 8.1 mi · Wilmington · mostly online$13knet price36%graduate$41kearnings61% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.University of West Los AngelesUniversity or college · For-profit · 256 on campus · 8.9 mi · InglewoodHomestead SchoolsUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 178 on campus · 9.2 mi · Torrance$16knet price93%graduate$59kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 41,282 on campus · 9.4 mi · Los Angeles10%admitted$33knet price92%graduate$92kearningsSpartan College of Aeronautics & TechnologyUniversity or college · For-profit · 319 on campus · 9.6 mi · Inglewood$33knet price64%graduate$62kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Los Angeles Trade Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · 8,945 on campus · 9.8 mi · Los Angeles$12knet price35%graduate$35kearningsTuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.California State University-Long BeachUniversity or college · Public · 38,193 on campus · 10.1 mi · Long Beach46%admitted$10knet price69%graduate$64kearningsCalifornia College of ASUUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 136 on campus · 10.2 mi · Los AngelesSouthern California Institute of ArchitectureUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 457 on campus · 10.4 mi · Los Angeles77%admitted$44knet price71%graduate$72kearningsFIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & MerchandisingUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,348 on campus · 10.5 mi · Los AngelesThe Chicago School at Los AngelesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 616 on campus · 10.9 mi · Los Angeles · mostly online46%admitted0%graduate$57kearnings82% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Earnings are reported for all 8 campuses that file with it.East Los Angeles CollegeCommunity college · Public · 17,853 on campus · 11.1 mi · Monterey Park$11knet price37%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Antioch University-Los AngelesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 888 on campus · 11.1 mi · Culver City$52kearningsEarnings are reported for all 5 campuses that file with it.Otis College of Art and DesignUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,284 on campus · 11.7 mi · Los Angeles82%admitted$51knet price66%graduate$58kearningsLos Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied HealthCommunity college · Public · 220 on campus · 11.7 mi · Los Angeles$115kearningsWest Los Angeles CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,805 on campus · 11.9 mi · Culver City · mostly online$10knet price28%graduate$39kearnings70% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Loyola Marymount UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 9,533 on campus · 12 mi · Los Angeles45%admitted$48knet price79%graduate$78kearningsSouthwestern Law SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 950 on campus · 12.1 mi · Los AngelesGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Biola UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 4,288 on campus · 12.2 mi · La Mirada74%admitted$31knet price68%graduate$57kearningsSmith Chason CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,221 on campus · 12.3 mi · Los Angeles$34knet price72%graduate$58kearningsAngeles CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 493 on campus · 12.3 mi · Los Angeles$29knet price93%graduate$49kearningsCalifornia State University-Los AngelesUniversity or college · Public · 23,850 on campus · 12.4 mi · Los Angeles91%admitted$4knet price53%graduate$59kearningsCypress CollegeCommunity college · Public · 10,494 on campus · 12.5 mi · Cypress$5knet price37%graduate$44kearningsTuition and fees: $1,150 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.CBD CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · 824 on campus · 12.5 mi · Los Angeles$23knet price82%graduate$37kearningsWhittier CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 859 on campus · 12.6 mi · Whittier81%admitted$26knet price60%graduate$59kearningsAmerican Career College-Los AngelesUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,066 on campus · 13.3 mi · Los Angeles$32knet price75%graduate$38kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.University of the WestUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 145 on campus · 13.4 mi · Rosemead100%admitted$7knet price38%graduateATI College-WhittierUniversity or college · For-profit · 125 on campus · 13.4 mi · Whitter$20knet price72%graduate$39kearningsWest Coast University-Center for Graduate StudiesUniversity or college · For-profit · 527 on campus · 13.5 mi · Los Angeles$103kearningsEarnings are reported for all 6 campuses that file with it.Graduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Alhambra Medical UniversityUniversity or college · For-profit · 144 on campus · 13.6 mi · AlhambraPlatt College-Los AngelesUniversity or college · For-profit · 405 on campus · 13.7 mi · Alhambra$28knet price63%graduate$41kearningsEarnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.California Institute of Advanced ManagementUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 163 on campus · 13.7 mi · AlhambraGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Los Angeles City CollegeCommunity college · Public · 6,569 on campus · 13.9 mi · Los Angeles · mostly online$10knet price29%graduate$36kearnings53% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,238 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Rio Hondo CollegeCommunity college · Public · 12,523 on campus · 14.1 mi · Whittier$14knet price25%graduate$45kearningsTuition and fees: $1,388 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Southern California University of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 957 on campus · 14.1 mi · Whittier · mostly online$46knet price50%graduate$71kearnings52% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Yo San University of Traditional Chinese MedicineUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 124 on campus · 14.1 mi · Los AngelesGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.American Career College-AnaheimUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,643 on campus · 14.8 mi · Anaheim$31knet price70%graduate$38kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical SeminaryUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 157 on campus · 14.9 mi · Los Angeles58%admitted$15knet price12%graduate$48kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $75–110k, where Compton’s median household income ($78,465) falls.

Cerritos College7.5 mi · Norwalk · sticker $10,236 · tuition $1,364$6,599a year
California State University-Los Angeles12.4 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $18,403$7,355a year
Los Angeles Southwest College5.1 mi · Los Angeles · mostly online · sticker $13,624 · tuition $1,238$7,420a year
Long Beach City College6.7 mi · Long Beach · sticker $14,503 · tuition $1,556$10,042a year
Cypress College12.5 mi · Cypress · sticker $14,290 · tuition $1,150$10,163a year
El Camino Community College District5.9 mi · Torrance · sticker $15,246 · tuition $1,144$11,546a year
California State University-Dominguez Hills2.6 mi · Carson · sticker $23,191$12,323a year
California State University-Long Beach10.1 mi · Long Beach · sticker $22,679$12,630a year
West Los Angeles College11.9 mi · Culver City · mostly online · sticker $17,336 · tuition $1,238$14,028a year
Healthcare Career College4.5 mi · Paramount · sticker $18,873$14,135a year
Los Angeles City College13.9 mi · Los Angeles · mostly online · sticker $18,924 · tuition $1,238$14,784a year
East Los Angeles College11.1 mi · Monterey Park · sticker $19,193 · tuition $1,238$15,346a year
Los Angeles Trade Technical College9.8 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $20,457 · tuition $1,238$16,399a year
Compton CollegeIn Compton · sticker $20,447 · tuition $1,142$16,689a year
Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary14.9 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $31,300$16,940a year
Rio Hondo College14.1 mi · Whittier · sticker $21,391 · tuition $1,388$17,305a year
Los Angeles Harbor College8.1 mi · Wilmington · mostly online · sticker $21,772 · tuition $1,238$17,831a year
University of Southern California9.4 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $90,300$24,976a year
Whittier College12.6 mi · Whittier · sticker $63,664$26,718a year
Biola University12.2 mi · La Mirada · sticker $62,757$29,846a year
Platt College-Los Angeles13.7 mi · Alhambra · sticker $32,164$31,116a year
Angeles College12.3 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $33,854$31,390a year
Universal Technical Institute-Southern California6.7 mi · Long Beach · sticker $33,041$32,469a year
American Career College-Anaheim14.8 mi · Anaheim · sticker $35,751$32,492a year
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science2.4 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $39,834$33,075a year
American Career College-Los Angeles13.3 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $37,270$34,343a year
National Polytechnic College5.3 mi · Lakewood · sticker $34,762$34,762a year
North-West College-Long Beach7.8 mi · Long Beach · sticker $36,942$35,381a year
Smith Chason College12.3 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $39,461$36,953a year
Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology9.6 mi · Inglewood · sticker $39,104$39,104a year
Loyola Marymount University12 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $83,943$40,557a year
Otis College of Art and Design11.7 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $75,861$52,495a year
UEI College-Gardena3.4 mi · Gardena · sticker $34,105—a year
PCI College7.4 mi · Cerritos · sticker $33,852—a year
Homestead Schools9.2 mi · Torrance · sticker $20,937—a year
Southern California Institute of Architecture10.4 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $71,612—a year
CBD College12.5 mi · Los Angeles · sticker $28,569—a year
University of the West13.4 mi · Rosemead · sticker $21,278—a year
ATI College-Whittier13.4 mi · Whitter · sticker $29,726—a year
Southern California University of Health Sciences14.1 mi · Whittier · mostly online · sticker $57,740—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Compton: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →El Camino Community College DistrictLong Beach City CollegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia State University-Long BeachEast Los Angeles CollegeCalifornia State University-Los Angeles
University of Southern California92% graduate$92k earnings$18k typical debt
California State University-Long Beach69% graduate$64k earnings$14k typical debt
California State University-Los Angeles53% graduate$59k earnings$13k typical debt
East Los Angeles College37% graduate$42k earnings$10k typical debt
Long Beach City College30% graduate$39k earnings$10k typical debt
El Camino Community College District42% graduate$42k earnings
Cerritos College31% graduate$41k earnings$8k typical debt
California State University-Dominguez Hills43% graduate$57k earnings$14k typical debt
Rio Hondo College25% graduate$45k earnings$6k typical debt
Cypress College37% graduate$44k earnings$10k typical debt
Loyola Marymount University79% graduate$78k earnings$20k typical debt
Los Angeles Trade Technical College35% graduate$35k earnings$10k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: UEI College-Gardena (5); Universal Technical Institute-Southern California (6); North-West College-Long Beach (4); Homestead Schools (2); Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology (2); The Chicago School at Los Angeles (8); American Career College-Los Angeles (2); Platt College-Los Angeles (4); American Career College-Anaheim (2).

Majors

What students study in Compton

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at Compton College, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Liberal arts 65%Interdisciplinary 7%Personal & culinary services 5%Mechanics & repair 5%Health professions 4%Business 3%Everything else 12%

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Compton

Is Compton a college town?

No. About 6 of every 100 Compton residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below California (8). The largest campus in the city, Compton College, has 3,330 students on campus.

What colleges are in Compton?

Compton College is inside the city. California State University-Dominguez Hills is 2.6 miles from the center, in Carson, and UEI College-Gardena is 3.4 miles from the center, in Los Angeles.

What is the closest community college to Compton, and what does it cost?

Compton College in Compton, 1.5 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,142 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $12,647, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does California State University-Dominguez Hills cost if we live in California?

Tuition and fees are $7,449 a year in-state and $20,049 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $7,303 (under $30,000 income) to $18,947 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Compton. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →