ARC vs. Coastline Community College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Coastline Community College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 9,008 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Coastline Community College is in Fountain Valley, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Coastline Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Coastline Community College 39:1.

ARC vs. Coastline Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Coastline 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 Coastline Community College ($9,488 vs. $16,972).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 6.6% lower than at Coastline Community College ($22,086 vs. $23,659).
• Coastline Community 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 8.6% higher at ARC than at Coastline Community College (about $1,004 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,612.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Coastline Community College (89% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 0% larger than aid received by Coastline Community College students ($5,456 vs. $5,455).

ARC vs. Coastline Community College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Coastline Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Coastline 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 Coastline Community College earn a median of about $4,000 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,600 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have a $6,983 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($5,250 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($54 vs. $126).
• More Coastline Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (39% 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.