Coastline Community College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, 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 Coastline Community College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 9,008 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, CA (Small City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Coastline 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: Coastline Community College 39:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Coastline Community College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coastline 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 Coastline Community College ($5,685 vs. $16,972).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastline Community College are 8.7% lower than at Santa Monica College ($23,659 vs. $25,908).
• Coastline Community College is 18% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $208 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at Coastline Community College than at Santa Monica College (about $904 more per year; $11,612.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Coastline Community College than at Santa Monica College (70% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 1.6% larger than aid received by Coastline Community College students ($5,540 vs. $5,455).

Coastline Community College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastline 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 Coastline Community College.

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

Coastline Community College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Coastline 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 Coastline Community College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,600 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have a $1,250 lower median loan debt than SMC graduates ($5,250 vs. $6,500).
• Among borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SMC graduates ($54 vs. $67).
• More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastline Community College 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.