Riverside City College vs. CMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Riverside City College in Riverside, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Riverside City College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Riverside City College is located in Riverside, CA (Large City setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
• Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Riverside City College 26:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

Riverside City College vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Riverside City College or CMC? 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 Copper Mountain Community College than Riverside City College ($9,827 vs. $10,174).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Copper Mountain Community College are 17.4% lower than at Riverside City College ($22,086 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 2.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMC (about $38 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,390.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.6% higher at CMC than at Riverside City College (about $1,072 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $12,498.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Riverside City College (93% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 15.7% larger than aid received by Riverside City College students ($7,478 vs. $6,463).

Riverside City College vs. CMC Admissions comparison

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

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

Riverside City College vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Riverside City College and CMC? 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 $3,000 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Riverside City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 28%)

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.