Palo Verde College vs. Riverside City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Palo Verde College in Blythe, CA with Riverside City College in Riverside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Riverside City College is larger than Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palo Verde College is located in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting); Riverside City College is in Riverside, CA (Large City setting).
• Palo Verde College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palo Verde College 22:1; Riverside City College 26:1.

Palo Verde College vs. Riverside City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palo Verde College or Riverside City 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 Riverside City College than Palo Verde College ($10,174 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palo Verde College are 3.6% lower than at Riverside City College ($25,767 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palo Verde College (about $140 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.1% higher at Palo Verde College than at Riverside City College (about $382 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $12,498.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at Riverside City College (92% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 107.7% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($6,463 vs. $3,111).

Palo Verde College vs. Riverside City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palo Verde College or Riverside City College? 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 Riverside City College and Palo Verde College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Palo Verde College - Open admission; Riverside City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026.

Palo Verde College vs. Riverside City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palo Verde College and Riverside City College? 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 Riverside City College earn a median of about $6,900 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $29,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.