ARC vs. Cerro Coso Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Cerro Coso Community College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 5,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cerro Coso Community College is in Ridgecrest, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cerro Coso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Cerro Coso Community College 24:1.

ARC vs. Cerro Coso Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Cerro Coso Community 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 Cerro Coso Community College ($9,488 vs. $20,045).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 8.7% lower than at Cerro Coso Community College ($22,086 vs. $24,192).
• Cerro Coso Community College is 7.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $96 more per year; $1,384.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.1% higher at ARC than at Cerro Coso Community College (about $1,362 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,254.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Cerro Coso Community College (89% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cerro Coso Community College students is 0.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,464 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Cerro Coso Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Cerro Coso Community 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 Cerro Coso Community 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; Cerro Coso Community College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027.

ARC vs. Cerro Coso Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Cerro Coso Community 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 $4,000 more per year than Cerro Coso Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $32,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.