ARC vs. ECC

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than ECC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 21,664 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. ECC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or ECC? 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 El Camino Community College District than ARC ($8,837 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 12% lower than at American River College ($19,431 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 12.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $144 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65.3% higher at ARC than at El Camino Community College District (about $4,986 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at El Camino Community College District (89% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 26.4% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,896 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. ECC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or ECC? 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 ECC 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; ECC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ARC vs. ECC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and ECC? 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 ECC 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 ECC 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.