Rio Salado College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Tempe, Arizona. It enrolls 11,668 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes6
Value76
Affordability39
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Rio Salado College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Rio Salado College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $8,341 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,341
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
7%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
4%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,358
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,958
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,664
Books & Supplies
$1,104
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,520
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,425
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$6,800
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,182
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,356
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,871
Over $110,000
$13,425
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,32410%percentile
$1,75025%percentile
$9,500Medianpercentile
$6,89675%percentile
$15,71290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $4,500
↓ $5,000
No Pell $3,500
↓ $6,000
Dependent students $3,201
↓ $6,299
Independent students $4,500
↓ $5,000
Female students $4,363
↓ $5,137
Male students $4,347
↓ $5,153
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,722, less than completers ($9,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
4% of full-time students who enrolled at Rio Salado College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
4%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Rio Salado College earn a median of $41,015 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,015
Earning > $25K
64%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$40,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$52,700
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$38,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$47,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$50,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,600, about 24% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
39.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 62% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Rio Salado College is home to 11,668 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 47% are first-generation college students, 85% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
11,668
Part-Time
85%
First-Generation
47%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 47.1%5,496
Hispanic 29.3%3,418
Black 8.6%1,003
Other 7.4%860
Asian 4.1%473
International 0.4%42
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Rio Salado College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityTempe, Arizona
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
30%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Rio Salado College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
49 distinct programs across
21 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Rio Salado College is 31:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
31:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$1,493
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,592
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
22 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
22
100%
$68,592
Pros & Cons of Rio Salado College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Rio Salado College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Most students don't qualify for need-based federal aid
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Rio Salado College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rio Salado College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Rio Salado College.
How much does Rio Salado College cost?
The average net price after aid at Rio Salado College is $8,341 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Rio Salado College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,015 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,341 per year. That's roughly 4.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Rio Salado College known for?
Rio Salado College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Criminal Justice. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Rio Salado College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Rio Salado College are $41,015, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Rio Salado College accredited?
Yes. Rio Salado College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Rio Salado College?
Rio Salado College enrolls 11,668 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Rio Salado College?
Rio Salado College graduates 4% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Rio Salado College a public or private college?
Rio Salado College is a Public institution.
Where is Rio Salado College located?
Rio Salado College is located in Tempe, Arizona.
What programs does Rio Salado College offer?
Rio Salado College offers 49 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Criminal Justice.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Rio Salado College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Rio Salado College is 31:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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