Rio Salado College

2323 W 14th St
Tempe, AZ 85281
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • Rio Salado's mission is to astonish its customers, which include students and community partners. This is accomplished through an emphasis upon collaborative partnerships, accelerated formats and distance learning, particularly eLearning.

School Highlights

Rio Salado College serves 17,362 students (15% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 21:1 is higher than the state community college average of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 57% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 55%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 17,362 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,046
  • Out-state tuition: $7,830
  • Student:teacher ratio: 21:1
  • Minority enrollment: 57%
  • Source: Verified school update

School News

Top Rankings

Rio Salado College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Arizona for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size

School Overview

The teacher population of 824 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Rio Salado College
(AZ) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
824 staff
296 staff
This chart display total faculty of Rio Salado College and community college average number of faculty in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Rio Salado College has declined by 9% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 21:1 has decreased from 23:1 over five years.
The Rio Salado College diversity score of 0.69 is more than the state average of 0.67. The school's diversity has grown by 6% over five years.
Total Enrollment
17,362 students
4,392 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Rio Salado College and community college average number of enrollment of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
21:1
14:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Rio Salado College and community college average student staff ratio of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
2,634 students
1,301 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Rio Salado College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
14,728 students
3,091 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Rio Salado College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Rio Salado College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of AZ.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
111 students
343 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
2,634 students
1,301 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Rio Salado College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
7 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
14,728 students
3,652 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
11 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
250 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
2%
3%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Asian
2%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of Asian community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
33%
34%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
9%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of Black community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
43%
45%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of White community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
4%
4%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
1%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Rio Salado College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in AZ by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Unknown races
7%
4%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Rio Salado College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in AZ.
Diversity Score
0.69
0.67
This chart display the diversity score of Rio Salado College and the community college average diversity score of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
4%
20%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Rio Salado College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
3.28%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$39,300
$32,900
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Rio Salado College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of AZ by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $2,046 is less than the state average of $3,106. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $7,830 is less than the state average of $7,957. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$2,046
$3,106
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Rio Salado College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$7,830
$7,957
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Rio Salado College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
86%
79%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Rio Salado College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,128
$9,500
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Rio Salado College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$3,500
$4,750
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Rio Salado College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in AZ by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • Rio Salado College was established in 1978 to provide active, working adults with flexible educational opportunities. Known as ?the college without walls,? Rio Salado courses are delivered through innovative learning formats and for diverse populations with choice, access, convenience, flexibility, and affordability in mind. The formats Rio Salado excels at include customized programs and partnerships, accelerated classes and programs, distance learning and dual enrollment. Rio Salado provides a caring and supportive environment where employees and students form a diverse community. Rio Salado carries the maximum 10-year accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Our instructors are highly skilled in the teaching arts and are experienced professionals in their subject areas. This combination brings to Rio Salado College students a unique perspective of knowledge and practical application. Rio Salado College is proud to offer its students an exceptionally qualified instructional staff which is interested in and dedicated to the student.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Rio Salado College cost?
Rio Salado College's tuition is approximately $2,046 for In-State students and $7,830 for Out-State students.
What is Rio Salado College's ranking?
Rio Salado College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Arizona for: Least expensive tuition, Diversity in US community colleges and Largest student body.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 17,362 students
  • In-state tuition: $2,046
  • Out-state tuition: $7,830
  • Student:teacher ratio: 21:1
  • Minority enrollment: 57%
  • Source: Verified school update

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Did You Know?

For Maricopa County, AZ public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $3,977 per year for in-state students and $8,154 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Maricopa County, AZ community colleges have a diversity score of 0.60, which is lower than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Maricopa County, AZ is Brookline College-Tempe. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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