GateWay Community College vs. Rio Salado College

Comparable Facts

Compare GateWay Community College in Phoenix, AZ with Rio Salado College in Tempe, AZ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rio Salado College is larger than GateWay Community College based on total student enrollment (18,841 students vs. 5,553 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• GateWay Community College is located in Phoenix, AZ (Large City setting); Rio Salado College is in Tempe, AZ (Rural Fringe setting).
• GateWay Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rio Salado College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: GateWay Community College 15:1; Rio Salado College 31:1.

GateWay Community College vs. Rio Salado College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GateWay Community College or Rio Salado 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 Rio Salado College than GateWay Community College ($8,733 vs. $13,821).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rio Salado College are 11.1% lower than at GateWay Community College ($9,664 vs. $10,872).
• GateWay Community College and Rio Salado College have the same published in-state tuition ($2,358.00 vs. $2,358.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at GateWay Community College as at Rio Salado College ($8,958.00 vs. $8,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at GateWay Community College than at Rio Salado College (75% vs. 33%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by GateWay Community College students is 9.9% larger than aid received by Rio Salado College students ($5,398 vs. $4,913).

GateWay Community College vs. Rio Salado College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GateWay Community College or Rio Salado 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 Rio Salado College and GateWay Community College.

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

GateWay Community College vs. Rio Salado College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GateWay Community College and Rio Salado 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 Rio Salado College earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than GateWay Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,500 vs. $35,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Rio Salado College graduates have a $1,603 lower median loan debt than GateWay Community College graduates ($7,897 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, Rio Salado College graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than GateWay Community College graduates ($81 vs. $98).
• More GateWay Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rio Salado College students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 19%)

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.