Napa Valley College vs. Riverside City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Napa Valley College in Napa, CA with Riverside City College in Riverside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Riverside City College is larger than Napa Valley College based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 4,844 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Napa Valley College is located in Napa, CA (Small City setting); Riverside City College is in Riverside, CA (Large City setting).
• Napa Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Napa Valley College 21:1; Riverside City College 26:1.

Napa Valley College vs. Riverside City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Napa Valley College or Riverside City College? 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 Riverside City College than Napa Valley College ($10,174 vs. $19,587).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Napa Valley College are 15.5% lower than at Riverside City College ($22,599 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 23.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Napa Valley College (about $272 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5% higher at Riverside City College than at Napa Valley College (about $590 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $11,908.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Napa Valley College than at Riverside City College (88% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 64.6% larger than aid received by Napa Valley College students ($6,463 vs. $3,927).

Napa Valley College vs. Riverside City College Admissions comparison

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

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

Napa Valley College vs. Riverside City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Napa Valley College and Riverside City College? 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 Napa Valley College earn a median of about $8,300 more per year than Riverside City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,300 vs. $36,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Napa Valley College graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Riverside City College graduates ($7,500 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, Napa Valley College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Riverside City College graduates ($77 vs. $82).
• More Napa Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Riverside City College students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 41%)

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.