ARC vs. San Diego City College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than San Diego City College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 13,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego City College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; San Diego City College 22:1.

ARC vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or San Diego City 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 San Diego City College ($9,488 vs. $10,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego City College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• American River College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $142 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.1% higher at ARC than at San Diego City College (about $2,614 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at San Diego City College (89% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 92.4% larger than aid received by American River College students ($10,500 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. San Diego City College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and San Diego City 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 American River College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego City College graduates have a $7,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, San Diego City College graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($46 vs. $126).
• More San Diego City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (30% 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.