Riverside City College
- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $41,091 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $8,377 B+
- 51% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 18,346
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 32.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $32.8 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $32.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,064,974.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $32.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Riverside City College Matters
Riverside City College is a public community college in Riverside, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 18,346
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Culinary & Personal Services
Why students choose Riverside City College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $8,377 a year after grants and scholarships — 51% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $41,091 ten years after enrolling — 1% above the typical college, against $8,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.24 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Over 18,000 students attend Riverside City College, making it a significant player in the California community college system. The college supports a diverse range of programs, with strong offerings in fields like Business & Marketing, Health Professions, and Computer Science. This variety allows students to pursue pathways that align with their interests and job market needs.
Data from Opportunity Insights shows that Riverside City College graduates earn a median salary of $41,091 ten years after enrollment. While the graduation rate stands at 34%, this suggests that many students find their footing in the workforce even if they do not complete their degree. The college is a stepping stone for upward mobility, particularly for those who take advantage of the available support services.
Affordability is a key factor here, with a net price of $8,377 and median student debt at $8,000. This makes Riverside City College accessible for many students, especially those receiving Pell Grants, which comprise 34% of the student body. Students who thrive here are typically those looking for a practical, cost-effective education that leads directly to employment in growing industries.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Riverside City College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Riverside City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Riverside, California, Riverside City College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 36%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,910
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 24:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.51
- First-Gen Students
- 56%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Riverside City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Riverside City College is $12,498, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,377. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,931 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,428
- Out-of-State
- $12,498
- Avg Net Price
- $8,377
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 34%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,931
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,371
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $10,221
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,880
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Riverside City College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Riverside City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Riverside City College report median earnings of $41,091, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $32,779
- 8 Years
- $36,771
- 10 Years
- $41,091
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.19x
- Earning > $25K
- 45%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (427)
- 19%
- 100% (427)
- 19%
- 100% (427)
- 19%
- 100% (427)
- 19%
How Riverside Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Riverside City College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Riverside City College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,377/year ($33,508 total). Graduates earn $41,091 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,098,482 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,064,974 (32.8× your investment). The median debt is $8,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $33,508
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,098,482
- Net Return
- $1,064,974
- ROI Multiple
- 32.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,377
- Median Debt
- $8,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $5,926,251
- Investment Income
- $-1,824,901
Top Programs
The fields Riverside City College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 17%
- Health Professions 13% $89,357 early-career
- Business & Marketing 12% $32,687 early-career
- Culinary & Personal Services 6% $20,568 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 4%
- Visual & Performing Arts 4%
- Psychology 4%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Riverside City College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Riverside City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Riverside, California, Riverside City College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Riverside City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Riverside City College is $12,498, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,377. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,931 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,000 in federal student loans.
Is Riverside City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Riverside City College report median earnings of $41,091, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Riverside City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Riverside City College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Riverside City College.
- Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer32% grad $42,214 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- American River CollegeSacramento, CA · Close peer35% grad $40,162 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, CA · Close peer34% grad $42,975 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- El Camino Community College DistrictTorrance, CA · Close peer39% grad $41,589 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, CA · Close peer34% grad $40,060 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Fullerton CollegeFullerton, CA · Close peer34% grad $43,366 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Riverside City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Riverside City College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 3% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note