ARC vs. West Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than West Valley College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 7,655 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

ARC vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or West Valley 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 West Valley College than ARC ($7,270 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 37.5% lower than at West Valley College ($22,086 vs. $35,361).
• West Valley College is 15.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $202 more per year; $1,490.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 45% higher at ARC than at West Valley College (about $3,914 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $8,702.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at West Valley College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 13.5% larger than aid received by West Valley College students ($5,456 vs. $4,806).

ARC vs. West Valley College Admissions comparison

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

ARC vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and West Valley 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 West Valley College earn a median of about $4,500 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,100 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More West Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (45% 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.