ARC vs. Delta

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Delta based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 20,969 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Joaquin Delta College is in Stockton, CA (Large City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Joaquin Delta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; San Joaquin Delta College 45:1.

ARC vs. Delta Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Delta? 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 San Joaquin Delta College than ARC ($3,293 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Joaquin Delta College are 2.2% lower than at American River College ($21,600 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 9.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Delta (about $108 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.1% higher at ARC than at San Joaquin Delta College (about $2,844 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,772.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at San Joaquin Delta College (89% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Joaquin Delta College students is 15.7% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,311 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Delta Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Delta? 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 Delta 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; Delta - Open admission.

ARC vs. Delta Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Delta? 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 $1,700 more per year than Delta graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Joaquin Delta College graduates have a $5,233 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($7,000 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Delta graduates have an estimated $54 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($72 vs. $126).
• More ARC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Delta students, three years after graduation. (26% vs. 24%)

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.