AWC vs. South Mountain Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ with South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, AZ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Arizona Western College is larger than South Mountain Community College based on total student enrollment (8,964 students vs. 4,516 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Arizona Western College is located in Yuma, AZ (Town Fringe setting); South Mountain Community College is in Phoenix, AZ (Large City setting).
• Arizona Western College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. South Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Arizona Western College 22:1; South Mountain Community College 20:1.

AWC vs. South Mountain Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AWC or South Mountain Community 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 Arizona Western College than South Mountain Community College ($9,026 vs. $13,152).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arizona Western College are 21.5% lower than at South Mountain Community College ($8,538 vs. $10,872).
• Arizona Western College is 29.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Mountain Community College (about $702 more per year; $3,060.00 vs. $2,358.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.2% higher at AWC than at South Mountain Community College (about $912 more per year; $9,870.00 vs. $8,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Arizona Western College than at South Mountain Community College (81% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Arizona Western College students is 42.6% larger than aid received by South Mountain Community College students ($7,771 vs. $5,451).

AWC vs. South Mountain Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AWC or South Mountain Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between South Mountain Community College and AWC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: AWC - Open admission; South Mountain Community College - Open admission.

AWC vs. South Mountain Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for AWC and South Mountain Community College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from South Mountain Community College earn a median of about $100 more per year than AWC graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,700 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Arizona Western College graduates have a $2,669 lower median loan debt than South Mountain Community College graduates ($6,250 vs. $8,919).
• Among borrowers, AWC graduates have an estimated $28 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than South Mountain Community College graduates ($64 vs. $92).
• More AWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Mountain Community College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 21%)

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.