ASPIRA City College vs. RACC

Comparable Facts

Compare ASPIRA City College in Philadelphia, PA with Reading Area Community College in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Reading Area Community College is larger than ASPIRA City College based on total student enrollment (5,369 students vs. 26 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• ASPIRA City College is located in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting); Reading Area Community College is in Reading, PA (Small City setting).
• ASPIRA City College is a private, non-profit 2-year institution. Reading Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: ASPIRA City College 7:1; Reading Area Community College 19:1.

ASPIRA City College vs. RACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASPIRA City College 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 ASPIRA City College ($9,089 vs. $13,671).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at ASPIRA City College are 6.7% lower than at Reading Area Community College ($10,080 vs. $10,800).
• ASPIRA City College is 7.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than RACC (about $837 more per year; $12,147.00 vs. $11,310.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3% higher at RACC than at ASPIRA City College (about $363 more per year; $12,510.00 vs. $12,147.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at ASPIRA City College than at Reading Area Community College (100% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Reading Area Community College students is 22.3% larger than aid received by ASPIRA City College students ($5,603 vs. $4,581).

ASPIRA City College vs. RACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ASPIRA City College 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 ASPIRA City College.

• Reading Area Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ASPIRA City College - Test-free; RACC - Open admission.

ASPIRA City College vs. RACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ASPIRA City College 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 Reading Area Community College earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than ASPIRA City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $23,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Reading Area Community College graduates have a $1,900 lower median loan debt than ASPIRA City College graduates ($10,600 vs. $12,500).
• Among borrowers, RACC graduates have an estimated $20 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ASPIRA City College graduates ($109 vs. $129).
• More RACC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASPIRA City College students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 20%)

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.