ARC vs. Napa Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Napa Valley College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 4,844 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Napa Valley College is in Napa, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Napa Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Napa Valley College 21:1.

ARC vs. Napa Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Napa Valley 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 Napa Valley College ($9,488 vs. $19,587).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 2.3% lower than at Napa Valley College ($22,086 vs. $22,599).
• American River College is 11.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Napa Valley College (about $132 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.9% higher at ARC than at Napa Valley College (about $708 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,908.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Napa Valley College (89% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 38.9% larger than aid received by Napa Valley College students ($5,456 vs. $3,927).

ARC vs. Napa Valley College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Napa Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Napa Valley 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 Napa Valley College earn a median of about $7,700 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,300 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Napa Valley College graduates have a $4,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($7,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Napa Valley College graduates have an estimated $49 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($77 vs. $126).
• More Napa Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (50% 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.