Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Pasadena City College Sierra College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College Sac City SBCC Pierce College De Anza College Orange Coast College GCC DVC| American River College | Santa Monica College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ARC | SMC | ||
| Location | Sacramento, CA | Santa Monica, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 27,422 | 22,375 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | losrios.edu | smc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ARC | SMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $0 | $1,104 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,480 | $9,048 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,764 | $11,556 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,730 | $6,656 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,913 | $4,650 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 64% |
Admission |
ARC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | - | ||
| Admitted | - | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | Open | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | ||||
| SAT Range | ||||
| Submit Test Scores | ||||
| Application Deadline | Aug 30, 2025 |
Academics |
ARC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 27:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
ARC | SMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $36,600 | $39,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 26% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,233 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $126 | $67 |
Diversity |
ARC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 52% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 48% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 38% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
ARC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
ARC | SMC | ||
| Campus Housing | No | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American River College is larger than than SMC based on total student enrollment (27,422 students vs. 22,375 students)
ARC vs. SMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ARC or SMC?
- Santa Monica College is ?% more expensive to attend than ARC for in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $0.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at ARC than Santa Monica College ($9,480.00 vs. $9,048.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than ARC ($6,656 vs. $7,730)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.7% lower than costs at American River College ($11,556 vs. $17,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at American River College than Santa Monica College (88% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 5.7% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($4,913 vs. $4,650)
Which college is harder to get into, ARC or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or ARC .
ARC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ARC or SMC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SMC and ARC.
- Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $2,400 more per year than ARC graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $36,600)
- Santa Monica College students graduate with a $5,733 lower median federal student loan debt than ARC graduates. ($6,500 vs. $12,233)
- SMC graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans 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/