Butte College vs. Riverside City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with Riverside City College in Riverside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Riverside City College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Riverside City College is in Riverside, CA (Large City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Riverside City College 26:1.

Butte College vs. Riverside City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Riverside City 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 Butte College than Riverside City College ($9,112 vs. $10,174).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 33.1% lower than at Riverside City College ($17,894 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 5.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butte College (about $72 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,356.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 34.7% higher at Riverside City College than at Butte College (about $3,222 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Riverside City College (88% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 3.3% larger than aid received by Riverside City College students ($6,677 vs. $6,463).

Butte College vs. Riverside City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City College and Butte College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butte College - Open admission; Riverside City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026.

Butte College vs. Riverside City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Riverside City 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 Butte College earn a median of about $400 more per year than Riverside City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $36,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Riverside City College graduates have a $5,978 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($8,000 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Riverside City College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($82 vs. $144).
• More Riverside City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 32%)

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.