ARC vs. Compton College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Compton College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 5,225 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Compton College is in Compton, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Compton College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Compton College 17:1.

ARC vs. Compton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Compton 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 Compton College ($9,488 vs. $14,449).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Compton College ($22,086).
• American River College is 12.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Compton College (about $146 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,142.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 43% higher at ARC than at Compton College (about $3,794 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $8,822.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Compton College (89% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Compton College students is 15.8% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,316 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Compton College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Compton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Compton 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 $200 more per year than Compton College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More ARC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Compton College students, three years after graduation. (26% vs. 25%)

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.