ARC vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 19,212 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

ARC vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa College ($9,488 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• American River College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa 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 Mesa College (89% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 51.2% larger than aid received by American River College students ($8,252 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $7,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($46 vs. $126).
• More San Diego Mesa 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.