ARC vs. Norco College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Norco College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 11,351 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. Norco College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Norco 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 Norco College than ARC ($8,534 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 17.4% lower than at Norco College ($22,086 vs. $26,740).
• Norco College is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $140 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.9% higher at ARC than at Norco College (about $118 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $12,498.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Norco College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 2.1% larger than aid received by Norco College students ($5,456 vs. $5,343).

ARC vs. Norco College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Norco College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Norco 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 have median earnings of about $36,600 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for Norco College.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Norco College graduates have a $4,233 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($8,000 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Norco College graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($82 vs. $126).
• More Norco College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.