ARC vs. College of the Canyons

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than College of the Canyons based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 18,075 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of the Canyons is in Santa Clarita, CA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Canyons is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; College of the Canyons 25:1.

ARC vs. College of the Canyons Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or College of the Canyons? 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 College of the Canyons than ARC ($5,760 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and College of the Canyons ($22,086).
• American River College is 10.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Canyons (about $122 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,166.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.1% higher at ARC than at College of the Canyons (about $1,658 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at College of the Canyons (89% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 18.7% larger than aid received by College of the Canyons students ($5,456 vs. $4,597).

ARC vs. College of the Canyons Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or College of the Canyons? 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 College of the Canyons 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; College of the Canyons - Open admission.

ARC vs. College of the Canyons Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and College of the Canyons? 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 College of the Canyons earn a median of about $10,400 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,000 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Canyons graduates have a $2,036 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($10,197 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, College of the Canyons graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($105 vs. $126).
• More College of the Canyons graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.