ARC vs. Chaffey College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Chaffey College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 22,460 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Chaffey College is in Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Chaffey College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Chaffey College 25:1.

ARC vs. Chaffey College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Chaffey 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 Chaffey College than ARC ($7,809 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 11.8% lower than at Chaffey College ($22,086 vs. $25,038).
• American River College is 8.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Chaffey College (about $104 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,184.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.5% higher at ARC than at Chaffey College (about $1,496 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,120.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Chaffey College (89% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Chaffey College students is 6.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,787 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Chaffey College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Chaffey College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Chaffey 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 $1,300 more per year than Chaffey College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $35,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Chaffey 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.