Butte College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Monica College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Butte College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College 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 Butte College ($5,685 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 30.9% lower than at Santa Monica College ($17,894 vs. $25,908).
• Butte College is 17.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $200 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.4% higher at SMC than at Butte College (about $1,432 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Santa Monica College (88% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 20.5% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($6,677 vs. $5,540).

Butte College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or SMC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SMC and Butte College.

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

Butte College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and SMC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Santa Monica College earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $7,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($6,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $77 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($67 vs. $144).
• More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 32%)

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.