ARC vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than SMC based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 23,453 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

ARC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or SMC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than ARC ($5,685 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 14.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,086 vs. $25,908).
• American River College is 11.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $132 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.8% higher at ARC than at Santa Monica College (about $1,908 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Santa Monica College (89% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 1.5% larger than aid received by American River College students ($5,540 vs. $5,456).

ARC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or SMC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SMC and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ARC - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SMC Aug 30, 2027.

ARC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and SMC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Santa Monica College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $5,733 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($6,500 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $59 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($67 vs. $126).
• More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.