ARC vs. Cerritos College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Cerritos College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 21,859 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cerritos College is in Norwalk, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cerritos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Cerritos College 26:1.

ARC vs. Cerritos College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Cerritos 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 Cerritos College than ARC ($4,325 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 0% lower than at Cerritos College ($22,086 vs. $22,088).
• Cerritos College is 5.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $76 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at ARC than at Cerritos College (about $612 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $12,004.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at American River College as at Cerritos College (89% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerritos College students is 8.6% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,925 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Cerritos College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Cerritos 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 Cerritos 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; Cerritos College - Open admission.

ARC vs. Cerritos College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Cerritos 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 American River College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than Cerritos College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have a $6,233 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($6,000 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Cerritos College graduates have an estimated $64 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($62 vs. $126).
• More Cerritos 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.