ARC vs. Cuyamaca College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Cuyamaca College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 8,905 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Cuyamaca College is in El Cajon, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Cuyamaca College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Cuyamaca College 28:1.

ARC vs. Cuyamaca College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Cuyamaca 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 Cuyamaca College than ARC ($7,752 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Cuyamaca College ($22,086).
• Cuyamaca College is 4.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $58 more per year; $1,346.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.5% higher at ARC than at Cuyamaca College (about $1,302 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,314.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Cuyamaca College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cuyamaca College students is 51.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($8,246 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Cuyamaca College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Cuyamaca College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Cuyamaca 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 $4,700 more per year than Cuyamaca College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $31,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cuyamaca College graduates have a $7,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Cuyamaca College graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($46 vs. $126).
• More Cuyamaca College 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.