ARC vs. East Los Angeles College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

East Los Angeles College is larger than ARC based on total student enrollment (33,677 students vs. 30,462 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); East Los Angeles College is in Monterey Park, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. East Los Angeles College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; East Los Angeles College 33:1.

ARC vs. East Los Angeles College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or East Los Angeles 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 East Los Angeles College ($9,488 vs. $11,700).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 13.1% lower than at East Los Angeles College ($22,086 vs. $25,407).
• American River College is 4% more expensive for in-state tuition than East Los Angeles College (about $50 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 19.3% higher at ARC than at East Los Angeles College (about $2,044 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,572.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at East Los Angeles College (89% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by East Los Angeles College students is 30.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,098 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. East Los Angeles College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or East Los Angeles College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between East Los Angeles 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; East Los Angeles College - Open admission.

ARC vs. East Los Angeles College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and East Los Angeles College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from American River College earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than East Los Angeles College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $34,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, East Los Angeles College graduates have a $6,417 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($5,816 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, East Los Angeles College graduates have an estimated $66 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($60 vs. $126).
• More East Los Angeles College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (39% 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.