City College of San Francisco vs. SMC

Should I go to City College of San Francisco or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if City College of San Francisco or SMC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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City College of San Francisco vs. Santa Monica College comparison
City College of San Francisco Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
City College of San Francisco Santa Monica College
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Overview

 City College of San Francisco SMC
Location San Francisco, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,134 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ccsf.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 City College of San Francisco SMC
Tuition (In State) $0 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $10,548 $9,048
Room & Board $19,029 $11,556
Avg Net Price $8,569 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 64%

Admission

 City College of San Francisco 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

 City College of San Francisco SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 City College of San Francisco SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,250 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $85 $67

Diversity

 City College of San Francisco SMC
% Men 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 23% 26%
% Black 7% 9%
% Hispanic 24% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 City College of San Francisco SMC
% In-State 95% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 City College of San Francisco 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

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than City College of San Francisco based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 16,134 students)

City College of San Francisco vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or SMC?

  • Santa Monica College is ?% more expensive to attend than City College of San Francisco for in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $0.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.6% higher at City College of San Francisco than Santa Monica College ($10,548.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than City College of San Francisco ($6,656 vs. $8,569)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 64.7% lower than costs at City College of San Francisco ($11,556 vs. $19,029)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at City College of San Francisco than Santa Monica College (100% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 2% larger than aid received City College of San Francisco ($4,650 vs. $4,559)

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or City College of San Francisco .

City College of San Francisco vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, City College of San Francisco 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 City College of San Francisco.

  • Graduates from City College of San Francisco earn on average $2,000 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates. ($6,500 vs. $8,250)
  • SMC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than City College of San Francisco graduates. ($67 vs. $85)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 39%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/