ARC vs. LTCC

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than LTCC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 4,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Lake Tahoe Community College is in South Lake Tahoe, CA (Distant Town setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Lake Tahoe Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Lake Tahoe Community College 25:1.

ARC vs. LTCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or LTCC? 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 American River College than LTCC ($9,488 vs. $11,799).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Tahoe Community College are 39.2% lower than at American River College ($13,425 vs. $22,086).
• American River College is 8,486.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than LTCC (about $1,273 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $15.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8,486.7% higher at ARC than at Lake Tahoe Community College (about $1,273 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $15.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Lake Tahoe Community College (89% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Tahoe Community College students is 7.5% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,863 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. LTCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or LTCC? 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 LTCC and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.

ARC vs. LTCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and LTCC? 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 $5,500 more per year than LTCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $31,100), 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.