Cerro Coso Community College vs. SMC

Deciding between Cerro Coso Community College and Santa Monica College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Santa Monica College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • Cerro Coso Community College Rural Fringe
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Cerro Coso Community College 5,549
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • Cerro Coso Community College Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • Cerro Coso Community College Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cerro Coso Community College $1,384
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cerro Coso Community College $11,254
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • Cerro Coso Community College $24,192
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • Cerro Coso Community College $20,045
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cerro Coso Community College $5,464
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cerro Coso Community College 62%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cerro Coso Community College Open
  • SMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • Cerro Coso Community College Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cerro Coso Community College Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • Cerro Coso Community College
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cerro Coso Community College Open admission
  • SMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cerro Coso Community College 24:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cerro Coso Community College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (50%)
    • Business (20%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)
    • Health Professions (4%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cerro Coso Community College $32,600
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cerro Coso Community College -
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cerro Coso Community College N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cerro Coso Community College N/A
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cerro Coso Community College 40%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • Cerro Coso Community College 60%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cerro Coso Community College High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • Cerro Coso Community College No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • Cerro Coso Community College 46%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • Cerro Coso Community College 3%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • Cerro Coso Community College 4%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cerro Coso Community College 39%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • Cerro Coso Community College 2%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cerro Coso Community College 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cerro Coso Community College 5%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • Cerro Coso Community College 0%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cerro Coso Community College 0%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cerro Coso Community College 99%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cerro Coso Community College 1%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cerro Coso Community College No
  • SMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cerro Coso Community College No
  • SMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Cerro Coso Community College No
  • SMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cerro Coso Community College Yes
  • SMC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cerro Coso Community College Yes
  • SMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest, 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 Cerro Coso Community College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 5,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Cerro Coso Community College is located in Ridgecrest, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Cerro Coso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Cerro Coso Community College 24:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cerro Coso Community 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 Cerro Coso Community College ($5,685 vs. $20,045).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cerro Coso Community College are 6.6% lower than at Santa Monica College ($24,192 vs. $25,908).
  • Cerro Coso Community College is 19.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $228 more per year; $1,384.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at Cerro Coso Community College than at Santa Monica College (about $546 more per year; $11,254.00 vs. $10,708.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at Cerro Coso Community College (64% vs. 62%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 1.4% larger than aid received by Cerro Coso Community College students ($5,540 vs. $5,464).

Cerro Coso Community College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cerro Coso Community College 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 Cerro Coso Community College.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cerro Coso Community College - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cerro Coso Community College Aug 20, 2027; SMC Aug 30, 2027.

Cerro Coso Community College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cerro Coso Community College 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 $6,400 more per year than Cerro Coso Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $32,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.