ARC vs. Orange Coast College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 17,096 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Orange Coast College is in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Orange Coast College 27:1.

ARC vs. Orange Coast College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College than ARC ($9,116 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 13.3% lower than at American River College ($19,159 vs. $22,086).
• Orange Coast College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $104 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at ARC than at Orange Coast College (about $976 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Orange Coast College (89% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 0.7% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,493 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Orange Coast College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Orange Coast College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have a $5,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($6,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have an estimated $59 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($67 vs. $126).
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.