Central Arizona College vs. GateWay Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Central Arizona College in Coolidge, AZ with GateWay Community College in Phoenix, AZ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

GateWay Community College is larger than Central Arizona College based on total student enrollment (5,553 students vs. 5,053 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Central Arizona College is located in Coolidge, AZ (Distant Rural setting); GateWay Community College is in Phoenix, AZ (Large City setting).
• Central Arizona College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. GateWay Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Central Arizona College 15:1; GateWay Community College 15:1.

Central Arizona College vs. GateWay Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central Arizona College or GateWay 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 Central Arizona College than GateWay Community College ($5,544 vs. $13,821).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Arizona College are 19.2% lower than at GateWay Community College ($8,786 vs. $10,872).
• GateWay Community College is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Central Arizona College (about $108 more per year; $2,358.00 vs. $2,250.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 99.1% higher at GateWay Community College than at Central Arizona College (about $4,458 more per year; $8,958.00 vs. $4,500.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at GateWay Community College than at Central Arizona College (75% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by GateWay Community College students is 1.4% larger than aid received by Central Arizona College students ($5,398 vs. $5,325).

Central Arizona College vs. GateWay Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Central Arizona College or GateWay 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 GateWay Community College and Central Arizona College.

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

Central Arizona College vs. GateWay Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Central Arizona College and GateWay 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 GateWay Community College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than Central Arizona College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,900 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, GateWay Community College and Central Arizona College graduates have the same median loan debt ($9,500 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, GateWay Community College and Central Arizona College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($98 vs. $98).
• More GateWay Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central Arizona College students, three years after graduation. (33% 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.