Central Arizona College vs. Rio Salado College

Should I go to Central Arizona College or Rio Salado College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central Arizona College or Rio Salado College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Mesa Community College Phoenix College Glendale Community College Paradise Valley Community College Yavapai College Estrella Mountain Community College
Central Arizona College vs. Rio Salado College comparison
Central Arizona College Rio Salado College College 3 College 4
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Location Coolidge, AZ Tempe, AZ
Setting Distant Rural Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,652 17,078
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centralaz.edu maricopa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Tuition (In State) $1,500 $2,040
Tuition (Out of State) $3,000 $7,824
Room & Board $7,300 $9,664
Avg Net Price $6,945 $6,834
Avg Grant Aid $4,579 $2,327
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 96%

Admission

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline

Academics

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 28:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (27%)
  • Construction Trades (15%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Precision Production Trades (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (32%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)

Outcomes

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,700 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 26% 19%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $7,897
Median Loan Payment $98 $81

Diversity

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
% Men 38% 40%
% Women 62% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 54%
% Black 7% 12%
% Hispanic 29% 20%
% Native American 5% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 7%

Students

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 1% 12%

Campus

 Central Arizona College Rio Salado College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rio Salado College is larger than than Central Arizona College based on total student enrollment (17,078 students vs. 4,652 students)

Central Arizona College vs. Rio Salado College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central Arizona College or Rio Salado College?

  • Rio Salado College is 36% more expensive to attend than Central Arizona College for in-state tuition ($2,040.00 vs. $1,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 160.8% higher at Rio Salado College than Central Arizona College ($7,824.00 vs. $3,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rio Salado College than Central Arizona College ($6,834 vs. $6,945)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Arizona College are 32.4% lower than costs at Rio Salado College ($7,300 vs. $9,664)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rio Salado College than Central Arizona College (96% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Arizona College students is 96.8% larger than aid received Rio Salado College ($4,579 vs. $2,327)

Which college is harder to get into, Central Arizona College or Rio Salado College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rio Salado College or Central Arizona College .

Central Arizona College vs. Rio Salado College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central Arizona College or Rio Salado College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Rio Salado College and Central Arizona College.

  • Graduates from Rio Salado College earn on average $9,800 more per year than Central Arizona College graduates after ten years. ($41,500 vs. $31,700)
  • Rio Salado College students graduate with a $1,603 lower median federal student loan debt than Central Arizona College graduates. ($7,897 vs. $9,500)
  • Rio Salado College graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Central Arizona College graduates. ($81 vs. $98)
  • More Central Arizona College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rio Salado College students, three years after graduation. (26% vs. 19%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/