ARC vs. Berkeley City College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Berkeley City College in Berkeley, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Berkeley City College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 6,278 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Berkeley City College is in Berkeley, CA (Midsize City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Berkeley City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Berkeley City College 33:1.

ARC vs. Berkeley City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Berkeley City College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American River College than Berkeley City College ($9,488 vs. $12,695).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 3.2% lower than at Berkeley City College ($22,086 vs. $22,820).
• American River College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Berkeley City College (about $30 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.5% higher at ARC than at Berkeley City College (about $2,718 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Berkeley City College (89% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 0.6% larger than aid received by Berkeley City College students ($5,456 vs. $5,422).

ARC vs. Berkeley City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Berkeley City College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Berkeley City College and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ARC - Open admission; Berkeley City College - Open admission.

ARC vs. Berkeley City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Berkeley City College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Berkeley City College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Berkeley City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.