ARC vs. MiraCosta College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 11,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); MiraCosta College is in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; MiraCosta College 18:1.

ARC vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or MiraCosta 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 MiraCosta College than ARC ($9,044 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 35.7% lower than at MiraCosta College ($22,086 vs. $34,328).
• American River College is 11.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than MiraCosta College (about $130 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,158.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.4% higher at ARC than at MiraCosta College (about $2,866 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,750.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at MiraCosta College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 8.8% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($5,456 vs. $5,013).

ARC vs. MiraCosta College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and MiraCosta 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 $3,600 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have a $7,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($46 vs. $126).
• More MiraCosta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (46% 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.