Rio Salado vs College of Western Idaho

Rio Salado College and College of Western Idaho, both esteemed community colleges, offer unique educational experiences to students seeking higher education. Rio Salado College, located in Tempe, Arizona, boasts an open admissions policy, welcoming all students regardless of their academic background. In contrast, College of Western Idaho, situated in Nampa, Idaho, maintains a selective admissions process, ensuring a higher acceptance rate for qualified applicants. While Rio Salado College excels in providing online learning opportunities, College of Western Idaho emphasizes hands-on learning through its state-of-the-art facilities and strong partnerships with local businesses. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
College of Western Idaho logo

College of Western Idaho

Rio Salado College logo

Rio Salado College

Overview

Location Nampa, Idaho Tempe, Arizona
Campus setting Rural: Fringe City: Midsize
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 57.0% 37.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission 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
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required 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: $17,813

Out of state: $20,821
In state: $14,542

Out of state: $20,326
Average net price $8,817 $9,426
Tuition
In state: $3,400

Out of state: $7,344
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)

94.0%
Average amount $3,689
71.0%
Average amount $5,379
Students receiving federal student loan 71.0%
Average amount $3,482
26.0%
Average amount $4,710
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $8,854
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 10,403
Men 47.0% Women 53.0%
15,682
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 6.3% 12.0%
International students 1.0% 0.2%
Campus local/setting Rural: Fringe 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 Idaho California Oregon Washington Colorado Arizona California Texas Louisiana Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Automotive Technology
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 25:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 24.7% 8.5%
Dropout rate 47.8% 64.9%
Transferred out 12.9% 20.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,319
  • Year 2: $58,943
  • Year 3: $63,975
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,926
  • Year 2: $41,789
  • Year 3: $53,181
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,470
  • Year 2: $34,908
  • Year 3: $40,730
Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,899
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $37,765
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,871
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $36,505
Ground Transportation (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $38,002
  • Year 2: $32,213
  • Year 3: $34,243
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,169
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $34,021
Business/Commerce, General (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,727
  • Year 2: $30,119
  • Year 3: $33,957
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,837
  • Year 2: $27,301
  • Year 3: $32,271
Biology, General (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,860
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $26,381
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