ARC vs. Fresno City College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Fresno City College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 28,071 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. Fresno City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Fresno City 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 Fresno City College ($9,488 vs. $9,618).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fresno City College are 18.6% lower than at American River College ($17,982 vs. $22,086).
• Fresno City College is 3.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $46 more per year; $1,334.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.2% higher at ARC than at Fresno City College (about $2,462 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,154.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fresno City College than at American River College (92% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fresno City College students is 32.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,210 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Fresno City College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Fresno City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Fresno City 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 $4,900 more per year than Fresno City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fresno City College graduates have a $8,388 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($3,845 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Fresno City College graduates have an estimated $87 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($39 vs. $126).
• More Fresno City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (32% 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.