ARC vs. Columbia Junior College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Columbia Junior College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 2,828 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Columbia College is in Sonora, CA (Remote Town setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Columbia College 21:1.

ARC vs. Columbia Junior College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Columbia Junior 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 Columbia Junior College ($9,488 vs. $12,358).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Columbia Junior College ($22,086).
• American River College is 0.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia Junior College (about $6 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,282.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.2% higher at ARC than at Columbia College (about $3,352 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,264.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Columbia College (89% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 12.2% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,119 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Columbia Junior College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Columbia Junior College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Columbia Junior 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 $6,200 more per year than Columbia Junior College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $30,400), 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.