ARC vs. College of the Sequoias

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with College of the Sequoias in Visalia, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than College of the Sequoias based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 14,494 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of the Sequoias is in Visalia, CA (Midsize City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Sequoias is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; College of the Sequoias 29:1.

ARC vs. College of the Sequoias Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or College of the Sequoias? 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 College of the Sequoias than ARC ($2,152 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 1.8% lower than at College of the Sequoias ($22,086 vs. $22,500).
• College of the Sequoias is 8.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $106 more per year; $1,394.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 39.6% higher at ARC than at College of the Sequoias (about $3,578 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,038.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at College of the Sequoias (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Sequoias students is 28.8% larger than aid received by American River College students ($7,030 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. College of the Sequoias Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or College of the Sequoias? 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 College of the Sequoias and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ARC - Open admission; College of the Sequoias - Open admission.

ARC vs. College of the Sequoias Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and College of the Sequoias? 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 American River College earn a median of about $5,300 more per year than College of the Sequoias graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $31,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Sequoias graduates have a $8,206 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,027 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, College of the Sequoias graduates have an estimated $85 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($41 vs. $126).
• More College of the Sequoias graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 26%)

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.