ARC vs. GCC

Deciding between American River College and Glendale Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

American River College
Glendale Community College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • ARC Sacramento, CA
  • GCC Glendale, CA
  • Setting
  • ARC Large Suburban
  • GCC Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • ARC 30,462
  • GCC 12,075
  • Type
  • ARC Public 2 Year
  • GCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Status
  • ARC Non-profit
  • GCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • ARC
  • GCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • ARC $1,288
  • GCC $1,191
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • ARC $12,616
  • GCC $10,935
  • Room & Board
  • ARC $22,086
  • GCC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • ARC $9,488
  • GCC $10,060
  • Average Grant Aid
  • ARC $5,456
  • GCC $6,418
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • ARC 89%
  • GCC 85%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Admitted
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • ARC Open
  • GCC Open
  • Enrolled
  • ARC Open
  • GCC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • Typical ACT score
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • Average High School GPA
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • ARC Unavailable
  • GCC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • ACT Range
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • SAT Range
  • ARC
  • GCC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • ARC Open admission
  • GCC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • ARC
  • GCC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • ARC 29:1
  • GCC 28:1
  • Popular Majors
  • ARC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Construction Trades (10%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • GCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (25%)
    • Business (24%)
    • Health Professions (24%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • ARC -
  • GCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • ARC $36,600
  • GCC $38,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • ARC 26%
  • GCC 56%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • ARC $12,233
  • GCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • ARC $126
  • GCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • ARC 51%
  • GCC 47%
  • % Women
  • ARC 49%
  • GCC 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • ARC High
  • GCC High
  • HBCU
  • ARC No
  • GCC No
  • % White
  • ARC 46%
  • GCC 45%
  • % Asian
  • ARC 11%
  • GCC 10%
  • % Black
  • ARC 9%
  • GCC 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • ARC 22%
  • GCC 32%
  • % Native American
  • ARC 1%
  • GCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • ARC 1%
  • GCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • ARC 6%
  • GCC 3%
  • % International
  • ARC 1%
  • GCC 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • ARC 4%
  • GCC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • ARC 97%
  • GCC 93%
  • % Out-of-State
  • ARC 0%
  • GCC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • ARC No
  • GCC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • ARC No
  • GCC No
  • Meal Plan
  • ARC No
  • GCC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • ARC No
  • GCC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • ARC Yes
  • GCC Yes

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than GCC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 12,075 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. GCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or GCC? 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 GCC ($9,488 vs. $10,060).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and GCC ($22,086).
  • American River College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than GCC (about $97 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,191.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.4% higher at ARC than at Glendale Community College (about $1,681 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,935.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Glendale Community College (89% vs. 85%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Glendale Community College students is 17.6% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,418 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. GCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or GCC? 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 GCC 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; GCC - Open admission.

ARC vs. GCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and GCC? 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 Glendale Community College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More GCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (56% 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.