Rio Salado College campus
Rio Salado College logo

Rio Salado College

Type 2 year, Public
Campus locale City: Midsize
Degrees offered Undergraduate
Calendar system Semester
Student body size Medium
Student to faculty ratio 25 to 1
Students retention rate 37%
On-time graduation rate 8%

Located in Tempe, Arizona, Rio Salado is a public, institution that offers undergraduate degrees. The college operates on a semester-based calendar system, providing students with structured academic terms.

One of the notable aspects of Rio Salado College is its open admission policy. This means that all high school graduates and individuals who hold a GED qualification are eligible to apply for admission. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of students to pursue their higher education goals, regardless of their academic background.

Rio Salado College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

While the on-time graduation rate at Rio Salado is reported to be 8%, it is essential to consider the context of this statistic. For comparison, Arizona state's graduation rate for the 2021-2022 was 44% whereas the national average was 35%.

The retention rate of students at Rio Salado is 37% , which is lower than both the state and national averages. The state average retention rate in Arizona is 63%, while the national average is 61%. This indicates that a significant proportion of students who enroll at Rio Salado do not continue their studies after the first year.


  • Accredited by: Higher Learning Commission

In-State Tuition & Fees

$2,070

Cost of attendance at Rio Salado College in 2022 for students from Arizona.

See how the college's in-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

Arizona's average $9,348
National average $4,604

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees

$7,854

Cost of attendance at Rio Salado College in 2022 for the out-of-state and international students

See how the college's out-of-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

Arizona's average $23,687
National average $8,757

Average Grant & Scholarships

In 2022, 71 of freshman students at Rio Salado College received on average $5,379 in grant and scholarships from the college, the state and/or the federal government. Below is detail stats of the aid provided to full-time, freshman students.

$5,379
Students Receiving Aid Average Amount Total Amount
Pell Grant 62 57% $5,003 $310,170
Other Federal Grant 66 61% $5,791 $382,200
State Grant/Scholarships 3 3% $833 $2,500
Institutional Grant/Scholarships 27 25% $1,091 $29,470
Total Grant & Scholarships 77 71% $5,379 $414,170

Graduation Rate

The following chart shows the graduation rate of Rio Salado College students who enrolled in 2018 and after. The stat covers all undergraduates registered as full-time students to study a 4-year bachelor's degree program for the first time.

The breakdown shows the graduation rate by race/ethnicity of US students. All international students are represented under one group.

As of August 31, 2021, the average graduation rate of Rio Salado College students is 8.5%. Female students graduated at a rate of 6.9%, whereas male students graduated at a rate of 11.1%.

8.5%

  • white 11.8% 4 students
  • hispanic 10.3% 3 students

Service Offerings

Rio Salado College provides the following additional services to its students
  • Remedial services
  • Academic/career counseling services
  • Employment services for students

Educational Offerings

Rio Salado College offers educational programs in the following categories. Check the programs section to learn more about specific programs that you are interested in.
  • Academic
  • Occupational
  • Postbaccalaureate Recreational or avocational education
  • Adult basic remedial or high school equivalent

Special Learning Opportunities

  • Weekend/evening classes
  • Teacher certification

Veteran Services

  • Member of Service-members Opportunity Colleges
  • Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military service-members, and their families
  • Recognized student veteran organization
  • Credit for military training
  • Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)