2025-26 Fact Sheet
Rio Salado College is focused on making education relevant and accessible for all learners — especially working adults and parents. Rio Salado is recognized nationally as an innovative leader in online learning, offering flexible and affordable options to meet learners where they are. It serves as one of 10 Maricopa Community Colleges and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. Our journey began in 1978 with classes at community centers and retail spaces and evolved into online learning in the 1990s. Today, we serve students in 50 states with 24/7 support services, flexible Monday starts, 597 for-credit online classes, 144 programs, and more.
By the Numbers
- Certificates of Completion: 3,940
- Associate Degrees: 1,002
- Arizona General Education Curriculum Awards: 691
- Academic Certificates: 92
- Bachelor’s Degrees: 52
- High School Equivalency (HSE) Diplomas: 390
- Transfer Students: 7,340*
- Transfer Credit Hours: 214,432
* Data includes students who transfer 12 or more credits from Rio Salado to a state university.
- Gender: Female - 58.9%; Male – 40.3%; Unspecified .8%
- Age: 19 and younger – 37.9%; 20-29 – 34.3%; 30-39 – 15.1%; 40-49 – 8.3%; 50 and older – 4.4%
- Ethnicity: White – 41.4%; Hispanic/Latino – 32.5%; Not Specified – 9.1%; Black/African-American – 8.9%; Asian – 6.4%; American Indian/Alaska Native – 1.5%; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: .2%
- Pell Grant Eligible: Yes: 79%; No: 21% *
- First Generation College Student: Yes: 43.5%; No: 49%; Not Reported: 7.5% **
* Based on those who submitted a FAFSA
** Defined as a student whose parent/guardian did not complete a 4-year bachelor's degree
- Maricopa County: 71.7%
- Out of State: 20%
- In-state, Non-Maricopa: 8.3%
- Dual Enrollment: 10,025
- Adult Education: 5,681
- Educational Service Partnerships: 3,488
- Veterans: 1,454
- Incarcerated Re-entry: 1,185
- Active-duty military: 535
- Lifelong learners: 180
- Total headcount: 46,165**
- For-credit: 40,358
- In-state: 32,363
- Online: 26,185
- Certificate and degree seeking: 14,758
- Veterans: 1,454
- Full-time student equivalent: 10,674***
- Full-time: 6,513
- Out-of-state: 8,081
- Non-credit workforce training: 126
** The total sum is not representative of combined student populations due to the number of students who take credit and non-credit classes.
*** Data is approved by Arizona Auditor General.
- Academic Associate Transfer Degrees: 45
- Bachelor’s Degrees: 2
- Associate in Applied Science Degrees (AAS): 25
- Certificates of Completion (CCL): 110
- AZ General Education Curriculum Certificates: 1
Community Development
Community Development
As Arizona’s largest provider of adult education, we serve nearly 6,000 learners with GED® test preparation, English language classes, and career training. We provide coaching, individualized support, and scholarships to help learners acquire workforce skills, certificates, and degrees. Instruction is available at five Rio Salado locations and select Maricopa Community Colleges.
Available Resources
We offer personalized advisement; technical, instructional and tutoring support; assistance with financial aid, scholarships, and emergency funds; disability, military, veteran, career, and counseling services; and other forms of support to help students overcome challenges, stay in school, and succeed.
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