ARC vs. Shasta College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Shasta College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 9,073 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Shasta College is in Redding, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Shasta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Shasta College 28:1.

ARC vs. Shasta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Shasta 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 Shasta College than ARC ($7,289 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shasta College are 28.3% lower than at American River College ($15,844 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 7.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Shasta College (about $91 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,197.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 42.5% higher at ARC than at Shasta College (about $3,763 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $8,853.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at American River College as at Shasta College (89% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Shasta College students is 38% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,528 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Shasta College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Shasta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Shasta 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 $4,500 more per year than Shasta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $32,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Shasta College graduates have a $3,267 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($8,966 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Shasta College graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($92 vs. $126).
• More Shasta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.