Rio Salado vs Carrington College-Mesa

Rio Salado College and Carrington College-Mesa, two esteemed educational institutions in Arizona, offer diverse learning opportunities for students seeking higher education. Rio Salado College, a public community college, boasts an open admissions policy, welcoming students from all backgrounds, while Carrington College-Mesa, a private career college, maintains a selective admissions process. Both institutions offer a wide range of programs, with Rio Salado College specializing in associate degrees and certificates, and Carrington College-Mesa focusing on career-oriented associate and bachelor's degrees. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and other key differences between these two institutions, helping you make an informed decision about your educational journey.
Carrington College-Mesa logo

Carrington College-Mesa

Rio Salado College logo

Rio Salado College

Overview

Location Mesa, Arizona Tempe, Arizona
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Private (For Profit) Public
Calendar system Differs by program Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 54.0% 37.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 55.3% Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 264
Total number of admissions given out 146
Admitted students who chose to enroll 70
Yield rate 47.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $14,542

Out of state: $20,326
Average net price $42,322 $9,426
Tuition
In state: $2,040

Out of state: $7,824
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

84.0%
Average amount $3,952
71.0%
Average amount $5,379
Students receiving federal student loan 83.0%
Average amount $7,387
26.0%
Average amount $4,710
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $10,499
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 591
Men 11.2% Women 88.8%
15,682
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 12.0%
International students 1.2% 0.2%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity N/A N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Arizona California Texas Louisiana Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Agriculture
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 25:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 56.3% 8.5%
Dropout rate 29.6% 64.9%
Transferred out 6.0% 20.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,539
  • Year 2: $64,281
  • Year 3: $69,437
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,499
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $52,314
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,828
  • Year 2: $50,272
  • Year 3: $52,137
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $26,496
  • Year 2: $27,758
  • Year 3: $28,543
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $24,829
  • Year 2: $24,298
  • Year 3: $25,326
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $23,087
  • Year 2: $22,493
  • Year 3: $24,927
Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $20,512
  • Year 2: $19,144
  • Year 3: $23,988
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $24,982
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $42,986
  • Year 2: $41,884
  • Year 3: $44,530
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $42,922
  • Year 2: $34,348
  • Year 3: $39,074
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $37,704
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $34,090
Legal Support Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $28,264
Data Processing (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,938
  • Year 3: N/A
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: N/A