College of the Canyons vs. SMC

Should I go to College of the Canyons or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if College of the Canyons 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College SBCC Pierce College De Anza College Orange Coast College GCC DVC Moorpark College Irvine Valley College
College of the Canyons vs. Santa Monica College comparison
College of the Canyons Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
College of the Canyons Santa Monica College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 College of the Canyons SMC
Location Santa Clarita, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 18,075 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website canyons.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 College of the Canyons SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,264 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $6,185 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $5,682 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 64%

Admission

 College of the Canyons 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

 College of the Canyons SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 College of the Canyons SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,197 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $105 $67

Diversity

 College of the Canyons SMC
% Men 56% 44%
% Women 44% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 36% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 46% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 College of the Canyons SMC
% In-State 95% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 College of the Canyons SMC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than College of the Canyons based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 18,075 students)

College of the Canyons vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Canyons or SMC?

  • College of the Canyons and SMC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at College of the Canyons than Santa Monica College ($9,264.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Canyons than SMC ($6,185 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at College of the Canyons ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of the Canyons than Santa Monica College (87% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Canyons students is 22.2% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,682 vs. $4,650)

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

College of the Canyons vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, College of the Canyons 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 College of the Canyons.

  • Graduates from College of the Canyons earn on average $8,000 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $3,697 lower median federal student loan debt than College of the Canyons graduates. ($6,500 vs. $10,197)
  • SMC graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than College of the Canyons graduates. ($67 vs. $105)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Canyons students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 36%)

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