Rio Salado College
- 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 20,215 students (13% of students are full-time).
- Minority enrollment is 49% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 48%.
- Rio Salado College is one of 25 community colleges within Maricopa County, AZ.
- The nearest community college to Rio Salado College is Brookline College-Tempe (0.8 miles away).
Top Placements
Rio Salado College places among the top 20% of community colleges in Arizona for:
- Category Attribute
- Affordability Least expensive tuition
- Community Size Largest student body
- Student Earnings Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation)
School Overview
- The teacher population of 271 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| Rio Salado College | (AZ) Community College Avg. | |
| Carnegie Classification | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges |
| Institution Level | Less than 2 yrs | At least 2 yrs but < 4 yrs |
| Institution Control | Public | Private, non-profit |
| Total Faculty | 271 staff | 66 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 20,215 students | 6,476 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 75:1 | 39:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 2,595 students | 1,336 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 17,620 students | 5,140 students |
 |  | |
| % American Indian/Alaskan | 2% | 4% |
| % Asian | 2% | 3% |
| % Hispanic | 25% | 27% |
| % Black | 11% | 6% |
| % White | 51% | 52% |
| % Two or more races | 1% | 2% |
| % Unknown races | 7% | 5% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.66 | 0.65 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 4% | 18% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $39,300 | $31,100 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) 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.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to Rio Salado College is Brookline College-Tempe (0.8 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- Brookline College-TempePrivate, for profit418 students | 0.80 Mi1140-1150 S. Priest Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480)545-8755 0.80418 - The Refrigeration SchoolPublic912 students | 2.60 Mi4210 E Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
(480)676-5843 2.60912 - 5,950 students | 2.70 Mi108 N. 40th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034
(602)392-5000 2.705,950 - Southwest Institute of Healing ArtsPrivate, for profit986 students | 3.00 Mi1100 East Apache Blvd
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480)994-9244 3.00986 - 4,287 students | 4.10 Mi7050 S 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85042
(602)243-8000 4.104,287
Recent Articles
Many students enroll in community college with the intent of transferring to a four-year school. Of those who do, many succeed, and yet traditional colleges and universities continue to overlook them. Read on to learn more about why more community college students don’t transfer schools and to receive some tips for making the transfer yourself.
Community college is the only option for many students who either can’t afford a traditional four-year university or who need a more flexible school environment. Just because community college is different, however, doesn’t mean that its students matter any less. The Aspen Prize exists to encourage community colleges to do more for their students and to continually strive for improvement.
Living with roommates is part of an authentic college experience, but is it an option for community college students? Read on to learn about housing options in community college and to learn how to survive the year with roommates.
