ARC vs. Mendocino College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Mendocino College is in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mendocino College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Mendocino College 16:1.

ARC vs. Mendocino College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Mendocino 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 American River College than Mendocino College ($9,488 vs. $9,798).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 24.9% lower than at American River College ($16,580 vs. $22,086).
• Mendocino College is 10.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $135 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.1% higher at ARC than at Mendocino College (about $2,613 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Mendocino College (89% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 31.6% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,180 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Mendocino College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Mendocino College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Mendocino 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; Mendocino College - Open admission.

ARC vs. Mendocino College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Mendocino College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from American River College earn a median of about $7,200 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, American River College graduates have a $767 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($12,233 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, ARC graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($126 vs. $134).
• More Mendocino 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.