ARC vs. Cuesta College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 11,283 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cuesta College is in San Luis Obispo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cuesta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Cuesta College 27:1.

ARC vs. Cuesta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Cuesta 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 Cuesta College ($9,488 vs. $16,541).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Cuesta College ($22,086).
• Cuesta College is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $62 more per year; $1,350.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.6% higher at ARC than at Cuesta College (about $1,606 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,010.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Cuesta College (89% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 31.7% larger than aid received by Cuesta College students ($5,456 vs. $4,143).

ARC vs. Cuesta College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Cuesta 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 Cuesta 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; Cuesta College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cuesta College Aug 13, 2027.

ARC vs. Cuesta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Cuesta 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 Cuesta College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,800 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cuesta College graduates have a $983 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($11,250 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Cuesta College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($116 vs. $126).
• More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.