ARC vs. Solano College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than Solano College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 9,282 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Solano Community College is in Fairfield, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Solano Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Solano Community College 27:1.

ARC vs. Solano College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Solano 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 Solano Community College than ARC ($7,102 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Solano College ($22,086).
• American River College is 9.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Solano College (about $116 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,172.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.6% higher at ARC than at Solano Community College (about $2,804 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,812.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Solano Community College (89% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 19.2% larger than aid received by Solano Community College students ($5,456 vs. $4,579).

ARC vs. Solano College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Solano College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Solano 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 Solano Community College earn a median of about $3,500 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,100 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Solano Community College graduates have a $2,430 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($9,803 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Solano College graduates have an estimated $25 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($101 vs. $126).
• More Solano College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (27% 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.