ARC vs. Hartnell College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Hartnell College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 11,273 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Hartnell College is in Salinas, CA (Midsize City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Hartnell College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Hartnell College 22:1.

ARC vs. Hartnell College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Hartnell 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 Hartnell College than ARC ($5,246 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 23.7% lower than at Hartnell College ($22,086 vs. $28,953).
• Hartnell College is 9% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $116 more per year; $1,404.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.6% higher at ARC than at Hartnell College (about $2,242 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hartnell College than at American River College (94% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hartnell College students is 14.8% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,263 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Hartnell College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Hartnell College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Hartnell 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 $300 more per year than Hartnell College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $36,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Hartnell College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (27% 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.