ARC vs. RHC

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than RHC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 17,441 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Rio Hondo College is in Whittier, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rio Hondo College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Rio Hondo College 31:1.

ARC vs. RHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or RHC? 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 RHC ($9,488 vs. $16,449).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and RHC ($22,086).
• Rio Hondo College is 7.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $100 more per year; $1,388.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.6% higher at ARC than at Rio Hondo College (about $2,732 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,884.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Rio Hondo College (89% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 8.1% larger than aid received by Rio Hondo College students ($5,456 vs. $5,049).

ARC vs. RHC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or RHC? 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 RHC 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; RHC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: RHC Aug 20, 2027.

ARC vs. RHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and RHC? 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 Rio Hondo College earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,500 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More RHC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (34% 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.