ARC vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Sierra College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 19,125 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Sierra College 25:1.

ARC vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Sierra 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 Sierra College ($9,488 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 38.3% lower than at American River College ($13,631 vs. $22,086).
• Sierra College is 12.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $158 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 772.5% higher at ARC than at Sierra College (about $11,170 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Sierra College (89% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 9% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($5,456 vs. $5,006).

ARC vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Sierra 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 $500 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Sierra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (32% 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.