ARC vs. LMC

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than LMC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 8,455 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Los Medanos College is in Pittsburg, CA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Medanos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Los Medanos College 23:1.

ARC vs. LMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or LMC? 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 LMC ($9,488 vs. $9,860).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 5% lower than at Los Medanos College ($22,086 vs. $23,238).
• Los Medanos College is 1.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $24 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.2% higher at ARC than at Los Medanos College (about $2,296 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Los Medanos College (89% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 6.8% larger than aid received by Los Medanos College students ($5,456 vs. $5,109).

ARC vs. LMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or LMC? 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 LMC 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; LMC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: LMC Aug 9, 2027.

ARC vs. LMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and LMC? 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 Los Medanos College earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,700 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More LMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (43% 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.