C
Average
Score: 50/100
Overall (traditional)
F
Outcome Rating
30/100 · earnings-weighted

American River College

2-Year Public
📍 Sacramento, California 95841
ℹ️
Rating Context: ⚠️ Limited Data Available. Some metrics for this institution are incomplete or unavailable, which may affect the overall grade. Consider researching this school directly for the most current information.

Suggested Focus: For this type of institution, we recommend prioritizing the Outcomes Score (C) which measures graduation and job placement rates — the most relevant metrics for career programs.
Graduation Rate: 33%
Outcomes
C
50/100
Affordability
B+
79/100
Resources
C
47/100
Experience
D
37/100
Prestige
D
35/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

29,908
Total Enrollment
33%
Graduation Rate
72%
Retention Rate
28.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$6,896
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near American River College ▼

28% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$435,629
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,823
1-Year Change
+1.1%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at American River College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$40,162
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$34,072
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$9,625
Median debt at graduation
36.6%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
21.1%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 24% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 18th percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at American River College

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$98,951$122,386+51%#19 of 962#23$12,750
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$100,258—————
Social Sciences—$47,731+11%#10 of 38#13—
Biological and Physical Sciences$29,022$43,319-14%#75 of 85#77—

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The American River College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $435,629
  • Avg rent near campus: $1,823/mo
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 95660 (4.4% cap, Sacramento)

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🏆 Where American River College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

🥈
Drywall Installation/Drywaller
of 2 schools
#17
Physical Sciences, General
of 30 schools
#17
Plumbing Technology/Plumber
of 29 schools
#26
Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
of 28 schools
#27
Carpentry/Carpenter
of 52 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition N/A $11,520

Financial Aid

84%
Receive Any Aid
46%
Receive Pell Grants
3%
Take Out Loans
$6,896
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$3,744
$30,001 - $48,000$3,666
$48,001 - $75,000$6,788
$75,001 - $110,000$9,369
$110,001+$10,022

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 838 grads/yr Carpentry/Carpenter 491 grads/yr Social Sciences, General 400 grads/yr Biological and Physical Sciences 317 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 253 grads/yr Psychology, General 183 grads/yr Drywall Installation/Drywaller 177 grads/yr Child Care Provider/Assistant 151 grads/yr Physical Sciences, General 116 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 81 grads/yr Plumbing Technology/Plumber 68 grads/yr Legal Assistant/Paralegal 66 grads/yr Economics, General 66 grads/yr Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 62 grads/yr Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 60 grads/yr Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 51 grads/yr Computer Science 41 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 40 grads/yr Mathematics, General 40 grads/yr Fire Science/Fire-fighting 40 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from American River College's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
$79k/yr 921,600 jobs
Carpenters
$59k/yr 959,000 jobs
Managers, all other
$137k/yr 1,333,700 jobs
Social scientists and related workers, all other
$100k/yr 40,800 jobs
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
$75k/yr 20,700 jobs
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$65k/yr 1,094,500 jobs
Social science research assistants
$58k/yr 40,600 jobs

Student Demographics

29,908
Total Students
48%
Women
45%
Traditional Age (18-24)
28%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 36%
Hispanic 32%
Black 7%
Asian 13%
Two or More 5%

🏠 Living Arrangements

Off-Campus (Renters) 28%
With Family 72%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~8,434 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 37%
Hybrid (Some Online) 20%
Fully Online 43%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 45%
25-64 (Adult) 46%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at American River College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend American River College?
Tuition at American River College is $11,520 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $6,896.
What is the graduation rate at American River College?
The graduation rate at American River College is 33%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.
Is American River College a good school?
American River College has a Repit College Score of 50/100 (Grade: C). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B+): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (D): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (D): Reputation and recognition
Note: As a smaller institution, we recommend focusing on the Outcomes score when evaluating this school.
How many students attend American River College?
American River College has a total enrollment of 29,908 students.
Is there rental demand near American River College?
Yes! Approximately 28% of students at American River College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 8,434 students who need rental housing near campus. This represents significant rental demand, which affects housing availability and pricing in the Sacramento area.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for American River College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to American River College

Compare with other 2-Year public institutions of similar size.

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Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology