ARC vs. Gavilan College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Gavilan College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 6,083 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Gavilan College is in Gilroy, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Gavilan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Gavilan College 27:1.

ARC vs. Gavilan College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Gavilan 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 Gavilan College than ARC ($8,753 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Gavilan College ($22,086).
• Gavilan College is 17.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $220 more per year; $1,508.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3% higher at ARC than at Gavilan College (about $367 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $12,249.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Gavilan College (89% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gavilan College students is 2.2% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,577 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Gavilan College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Gavilan College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Gavilan 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 $3,000 more per year than Gavilan College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Gavilan College graduates have a $4,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($7,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Gavilan College graduates have an estimated $49 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($77 vs. $126).
• More Gavilan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (30% 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.