ARC vs. CMC

Deciding between American River College and Copper Mountain Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

American River College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • ARC Sacramento, CA
  • CMC Joshua Tree, CA
  • Setting
  • ARC Large Suburban
  • CMC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • ARC 30,462
  • CMC 2,019
  • Type
  • ARC Public 2 Year
  • CMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Status
  • ARC Non-profit
  • CMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • ARC
  • CMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • ARC $1,288
  • CMC $1,390
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • ARC $12,616
  • CMC $13,570
  • Room & Board
  • ARC $22,086
  • CMC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • ARC $9,488
  • CMC $9,827
  • Average Grant Aid
  • ARC $5,456
  • CMC $7,478
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • ARC 89%
  • CMC 93%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Admitted
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • ARC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • ARC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • ARC Unavailable
  • CMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • ACT Range
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • SAT Range
  • ARC
  • CMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • ARC Open admission
  • CMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • ARC
  • CMC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • ARC 29:1
  • CMC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • ARC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Construction Trades (10%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • CMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • ARC -
  • CMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • ARC $36,600
  • CMC $33,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • ARC 26%
  • CMC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • ARC $12,233
  • CMC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • ARC $126
  • CMC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • ARC 51%
  • CMC 36%
  • % Women
  • ARC 49%
  • CMC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • ARC High
  • CMC High
  • HBCU
  • ARC No
  • CMC No
  • % White
  • ARC 46%
  • CMC 52%
  • % Asian
  • ARC 11%
  • CMC 4%
  • % Black
  • ARC 9%
  • CMC 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • ARC 22%
  • CMC 27%
  • % Native American
  • ARC 1%
  • CMC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • ARC 1%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • ARC 6%
  • CMC 7%
  • % International
  • ARC 1%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • ARC 4%
  • CMC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • ARC 97%
  • CMC 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • ARC 0%
  • CMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • ARC No
  • CMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • ARC No
  • CMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • ARC No
  • CMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • ARC No
  • CMC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • ARC Yes
  • CMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
  • American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

ARC vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or CMC? 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 CMC ($9,488 vs. $9,827).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and CMC ($22,086).
  • Copper Mountain Community College is 7.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $102 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,288.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 7.6% higher at CMC than at American River College (about $954 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $12,616.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at American River College (93% vs. 89%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 37.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,478 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or CMC? 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 CMC 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; CMC - Open admission.

ARC vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and CMC? 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 $3,600 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More CMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (28% 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.