ARC vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Merced 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 Merced College than ARC ($6,854 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 12% lower than at American River College ($19,432 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 7.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $88 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 48.1% higher at ARC than at Merced College (about $4,096 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Merced College (89% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 37.1% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,480 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Merced College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Merced 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 $6,300 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $30,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.