ARC vs. SCC

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Santiago Canyon College in Orange, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than SCC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 11,897 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santiago Canyon College is in Orange, CA (Midsize City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santiago Canyon College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Santiago Canyon College 34:1.

ARC vs. SCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or SCC? 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 Santiago Canyon College than ARC ($6,573 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and SCC ($22,086).
• American River College is 10.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than SCC (about $124 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,164.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.3% higher at ARC than at Santiago Canyon College (about $3,004 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,612.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Santiago Canyon College (89% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santiago Canyon College students is 20.6% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,580 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. SCC Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. SCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and SCC? 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).

• More SCC 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.