College of Alameda vs. ARC

Comparable Facts

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

American River College is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); American River College is in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; American River College 29:1.

College of Alameda vs. ARC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or ARC? 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 College of Alameda ($9,488 vs. $12,506).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 3.2% lower than at College of Alameda ($22,086 vs. $22,820).
• American River College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of Alameda (about $30 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.5% higher at ARC than at College of Alameda (about $2,718 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at College of Alameda (89% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 1.3% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($5,456 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. ARC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or ARC? 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 ARC and College of Alameda.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Alameda - Open admission; ARC - Open admission.

College of Alameda vs. ARC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and ARC? 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 College of Alameda earn a median of about $100 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of Alameda graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (30% 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.