ARC vs. Mission College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Mission College is in Santa Clara, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mission College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Mission College 26:1.

ARC vs. Mission College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Mission 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 Mission College than ARC ($7,646 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 37.5% lower than at Mission College ($22,086 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 11.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $150 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.9% higher at ARC than at Mission College (about $116 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $12,500.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Mission College (89% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 13.2% larger than aid received by Mission College students ($5,456 vs. $4,820).

ARC vs. Mission College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Mission College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Mission 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 Mission College earn a median of about $5,400 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.