ARC vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than SBCC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 12,334 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

ARC vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or SBCC? 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 SBCC ($9,488 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and SBCC ($22,086).
• American River College is 3.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $48 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20.9% higher at ARC than at Santa Barbara City College (about $2,184 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Santa Barbara City College (89% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 7.9% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,889 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or SBCC? 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 SBCC 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; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

ARC vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and SBCC? 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 Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Barbara City College graduates have a $2,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($9,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, SBCC graduates have an estimated $28 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($98 vs. $126).
• More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (39% 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.