ARC vs. Las Positas College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Las Positas College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 8,103 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Las Positas College is in Livermore, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Las Positas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Las Positas College 25:1.

ARC vs. Las Positas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Las Positas 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 Las Positas College than ARC ($8,669 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 4.3% lower than at Las Positas College ($22,086 vs. $23,076).
• American River College is 10.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Las Positas College (about $120 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,168.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.6% higher at ARC than at Las Positas College (about $2,808 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,808.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Las Positas College (89% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 42.1% larger than aid received by Las Positas College students ($5,456 vs. $3,839).

ARC vs. Las Positas College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Las Positas 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 Las Positas 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; Las Positas College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Las Positas College Aug 1, 2027.

ARC vs. Las Positas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Las Positas 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 Las Positas College earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,700 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Las Positas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.