American River College

What American River College does

American River College is a public community college founded in 1955, operating as one of four colleges within the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, California. It serves approximately 30,000+ students across a main campus (4700 College Oak Drive) and three satellite centers (Mather, McClellan, and Natomas), offering 80+ associate degree and certificate programs across eight thematic HomeBases (Arts, Business, Health and Education, Language & Communication, Manufacturing/Construction/Transportation, People/Culture/Society, Public Service, and STEM). Core delivery runs on Canvas (Instructure) LMS for online and hybrid courses, Los Rios eServices and Okta-based identity for student records and enrollment, and Starfish for student-engagement tracking. The academic platform is supplemented by Degree Planner for AA-T/AS-T transfer mapping, the Beacon Supplemental Instruction peer tutoring program, and a portfolio of student-facing services including the Career Center (Handshake integration, AI resume/interview coaching), Student Health and Wellness Center (BetterMynd online therapy), and the Beaver Cares basic-needs center. Dual enrollment partnerships with K-12 districts enable high school concurrent credit, while Regional Public Safety Training Center operations at the McClellan Center support law-enforcement and public-safety workforce pipelines.

ARC's revenue is generated primarily through California state community-college apportionment based on Full-Time Equivalent Students (FTES), local property taxes via the Los Rios district, per-unit student tuition (~$46/unit for California residents), federal and state financial aid (Pell, Cal Grant, Federal Work-Study), and private donations through the Los Rios Colleges Foundation. Pricing is centrally set by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, with a Promise program offering free tuition for first-time qualifying students. The go-to-market model is open-enrollment direct-to-consumer: prospective students apply via the statewide CCCApply system, enroll through eServices, and access courses in person, online, or hybrid. Marketing runs through institutional website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube), campus tours, and dual-enrollment K-12 partnerships, all leveraged within the Los Rios shared-marketing infrastructure. Customer segments span prospective college students (primary), high-school dual-enrollment students, regional employers seeking workforce pipelines, and community members seeking ESL, basic-needs, and lifelong-learning services.

Name

American River College

Legal name

American River College

Website

https://arc.losrios.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Short description

American River College is a public community college in Sacramento, part of the Los Rios Community College District, serving approximately 30,000+ students with 80+ associate degree and certificate programs across four campus locations in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (611210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Career technical education
• Transfer pathway programs
• Workforce training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Funding and Property Taxes: Primary revenue source from California state community college funding formula based on FTES (Full-Time Equivalent Students) enrollment and local property tax revenue through Los Rios Community College District.
2. Student Tuition and Fees: Per-unit enrollment fees for California residents ($46/unit typically) plus additional fees for non-residents. Financial aid and grants offset costs for eligible students.
3. Federal and State Grants: Pell Grants, Cal Grants, Federal Work-Study, and other financial aid programs channeled through the institution for student support.
4. Los Rios Foundation Donations: Private donations through Los Rios Colleges Foundation supporting scholarships, programs, and capital improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

American River College is a public community college that delivers higher-education instruction through associate degrees, certificates, transfer pathways, and career technical education across 80+ programs. It serves traditional and dual-enrollment high school students, degree-seeking learners, and adult re-entry students, with instruction offered on multiple campuses and via online learning. The college also operates workforce development and continuing education programs in partnership with local industry and K-12 districts.

Product overview

American River College operates as a community college within the Los Rios Community College District, offering a comprehensive suite of educational products and student services. The institution's core educational platform centers on the Canvas Learning Management System for online and hybrid course delivery, organized through an innovative HomeBases structure that groups programs into eight thematic divisions (Arts, Business, Health and Education, Language and Communication, Manufacturing/Construction/Transportation, People/Culture/Society, Public Service, and STEM). The college provides academic program products including over 70 degree and certificate programs across disciplines such as Accounting, Administration of Justice, Computer Information Science, Nursing, and Welding Technology. Supporting the academic offerings are student service products including eServices for administrative functions, Degree Planner for transfer degree planning, the Career Center with job/internship search via Handshake, Student Health and Wellness Center with mental health services (including AI coaching for resumes), Beaver Cares Basic Needs Center, Veterans Resource Center, Beacon Supplemental Instruction tutoring, and Library Services. The institution serves approximately 30,000+ students across its main campus in Sacramento, Mather Center, McClellan Center, and Natomas Center locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associate Degree Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates earn Associate Degrees for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T) qualifying for priority admission to CSU system with junior status
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Los Rios Community College DistrictcoreOthersAmerican River College is one of four colleges governed by the Los Rios Community College District. The district provides unified administrative services including HR, finance, IT infrastructure, student information systems, and strategic planning. ARC operates autonomously for academic matters while sharing district-wide resources and brand identity.
• California State Universities (CSU System)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC offers Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT) that guarantee admission with junior status to CSU campuses. Students completing ADT pathways receive priority admission consideration. Partnerships include guaranteed transfer agreements for specific majors.
• University of California SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany ARC transfer degrees are designed to satisfy UC lower-division requirements. Articulation agreements ensure coursework transfers as major preparation. UC-transferable courses carry CSU/UC designation.
• Instructure (Canvas LMS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCanvas is the official learning management system for Los Rios colleges, hosting all online and hybrid courses. The college integrates Canvas deeply with student login systems, grade reporting, and course content delivery.
• K-12 School Districts (Dual Enrollment)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with regional high schools enable dual enrollment, allowing qualified high school students to take college courses. Includes Accelerated College Education (ACE) program offering structured pathways.
• Regional Employers (Workforce Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer education programs align with Sacramento region employer needs. Work experience courses connect students with internships and jobs. Industry advisory committees guide curriculum development.
• Los Rios Colleges FoundationcoreOthers501(c)(3) foundation supporting all four Los Rios colleges through scholarships, program funding, and capital campaigns. Manages Beaver Scholars program and other donor-supported initiatives at ARC.
• Los Rios Police DepartmentcoreOthersDistrict-wide police department provides campus safety and security services. Handles Clery Act compliance, emergency response, and law enforcement training programs at McClellan Center.
• Los Rios Study Abroad ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad programs in Florence, Dublin, London, Paris, and Japan allow students to earn transferable credit while experiencing international education. Programs include faculty-led short-term trips and semester exchanges.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sacramento City College: Sister college in the same Los Rios Community College District. Direct peer with shared governance, shared student information systems, and direct competition for the same Sacramento-region student population across associate degrees, transfer pathways, and career-technical programs.
• Cosumnes River College: Another sister college within Los Rios CCD. Direct peer competing for Sacramento-area enrollment, sharing the same district-wide funding, branding, and student services infrastructure (eServices, Canvas, Handshake).
• Sierra College: Adjacent California community college district serving the foothills region just northeast of Sacramento. Direct peer with similar associate degree, transfer, and career-technical program mix, competing for students in the broader Sacramento metropolitan catchment area.
• Folsom Lake College: Fourth sister college in Los Rios CCD. Direct peer serving the greater Sacramento region with overlapping AA-T/AS-T transfer programs, dual enrollment, and workforce development offerings.

Broad incumbents

• De Anza College: Large California community college in the Foothill-De Anza CCD. Offers a similar menu of transfer, CTE, and workforce programs at greater scale, and competes for online enrollment across California rather than only within a single metro.
• Mt. San Antonio College: One of the largest single-campus community colleges in California, located in the Los Angeles area. Comparable in scale of program offerings (80+ majors) and in its reliance on California community college FTES funding, though geographically distant.
• Pasadena City College: Large California community college in the LA area with extensive transfer, dual enrollment, and CTE programs. Comparable institution with similar revenue model and student support services, though in a different metropolitan context than Sacramento.

Regional players

• San Joaquin Delta College: Public community college serving Stockton and the Central Valley. Comparable public community college with similar transfer, CTE, and workforce programs, though it operates in a different subregion of California and is not in the same district as ARC.
• Moorpark College: California community college in Ventura County. Similar public community college profile with transfer, CTE, and adult learner programs, though serving a different geographic market.
• Santa Rosa Junior College: Public California community college serving Sonoma County with comparable transfer, CTE, and dual enrollment programs. Operates in a different region but is structurally similar in mission, governance, and funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ARCNewsToday
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbp0sT8Mm1GA__gpREFZXCQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/56674215932
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/los-rios-community-college-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/arcnewstoday/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American River College