ARC vs. College of the Redwoods

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than College of the Redwoods based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 4,706 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of the Redwoods is in Eureka, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Redwoods is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; College of the Redwoods 17:1.

ARC vs. College of the Redwoods Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or College of the Redwoods? 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 Redwoods than ARC ($9,400 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Redwoods are 45.1% lower than at American River College ($12,117 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 7.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Redwoods (about $90 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,198.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 42.5% higher at ARC than at College of the Redwoods (about $3,762 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $8,854.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Redwoods than at American River College (90% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Redwoods students is 15.2% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,288 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. College of the Redwoods Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. College of the Redwoods Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and College of the Redwoods? 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 $4,500 more per year than College of the Redwoods graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $32,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Redwoods graduates have a $4,972 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($7,261 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, College of the Redwoods graduates have an estimated $51 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($75 vs. $126).
• More College of the Redwoods graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (33% 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.