CCAC vs. RACC

Comparable Facts

Compare Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, PA with Reading Area Community College in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Community College of Allegheny County is larger than RACC based on total student enrollment (10,609 students vs. 5,369 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Community College of Allegheny County is located in Pittsburgh, PA (Large City setting); Reading Area Community College is in Reading, PA (Small City setting).
• Community College of Allegheny County is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Reading Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Community College of Allegheny County 16:1; Reading Area Community College 19:1.

CCAC vs. RACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCAC or RACC? 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 Reading Area Community College than CCAC ($9,089 vs. $13,196).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reading Area Community College are 10% lower than at Community College of Allegheny County ($10,800 vs. $12,000).
• Reading Area Community College is 28.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCAC (about $2,507 more per year; $11,310.00 vs. $8,803.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.6% higher at CCAC than at Reading Area Community College (about $73 more per year; $12,583.00 vs. $12,510.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Reading Area Community College than at Community College of Allegheny County (74% vs. 50%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Community College of Allegheny County students is 16.3% larger than aid received by Reading Area Community College students ($6,516 vs. $5,603).

CCAC vs. RACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCAC or RACC? 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 RACC and CCAC.

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

CCAC vs. RACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCAC and RACC? 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 Community College of Allegheny County earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than RACC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,800 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Community College of Allegheny County graduates have a $629 lower median loan debt than RACC graduates ($9,971 vs. $10,600).
• Among borrowers, CCAC graduates have an estimated $6 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RACC graduates ($103 vs. $109).
• More CCAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RACC students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 33%)

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.