ARC vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Smith Chason College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 2,447 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

ARC vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Smith Chason 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 Smith Chason College ($9,488 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at American River College and Smith Chason College ($22,086).
• Smith Chason College is 1,378.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $17,752 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.9% higher at Smith Chason College than at American River College (about $6,424 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $12,616.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Smith Chason College (89% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Smith Chason College students is 23.4% larger than aid received by American River College students ($6,731 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Smith Chason 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 Smith Chason College earn a median of about $19,600 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, American River College graduates have a $7,767 lower median loan debt than Smith Chason College graduates ($12,233 vs. $20,000).
• Among borrowers, ARC graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Smith Chason College graduates ($126 vs. $206).
• More Smith Chason College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (48% 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.