ARC vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with San Diego Mesa College in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

American River College is larger than San Diego Mesa College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 19,212 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.1% higher at ARC than at San Diego Mesa College (about $2,614 more per year; $12,616 vs. $10,002).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at San Diego Mesa College (89% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 51.2% larger than aid received by American River College students ($8,252 vs. $5,456).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are open admission at both ARC and San Diego Mesa College.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $7,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($4,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($46 vs. $126).
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation (41% vs. 26%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.