Butte College vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Butte College is larger than Smith Chason College based on total student enrollment (10,968 students vs. 2,447 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

Butte College vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Smith Chason College? 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 Butte College than Smith Chason College ($9,112 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 19% lower than at Smith Chason College ($17,894 vs. $22,086).
• Smith Chason College is 1,304.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butte College (about $17,684 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,356.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 105.3% higher at Smith Chason College than at Butte College (about $9,764 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Smith Chason College (88% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Smith Chason College students is 0.8% larger than aid received by Butte College students ($6,731 vs. $6,677).

Butte College vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Smith Chason College? 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 Smith Chason College 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; Smith Chason College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Smith Chason College? 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 Smith Chason College earn a median of about $19,800 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Butte College graduates have a $6,022 lower median loan debt than Smith Chason College graduates ($13,978 vs. $20,000).
• Among borrowers, Butte College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Smith Chason College graduates ($144 vs. $206).
• More Smith Chason College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (48% 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.