Columbia Junior College vs. SMC

Deciding between Columbia 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
  • Columbia Junior College Sonora, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • Columbia Junior College Remote Town
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia Junior College 2,828
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • Columbia Junior College Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia Junior College
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • Columbia Junior College Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia Junior College
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia Junior College $1,282
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia Junior College $9,264
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia Junior College $22,086
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia Junior College $12,358
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia Junior College $6,119
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia Junior College 74%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia Junior College 21:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia Junior College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (35%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (8%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia Junior College $30,400
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia Junior College N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia Junior College N/A
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia Junior College 45%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • Columbia Junior College 55%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia Junior College Low
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • Columbia Junior College 76%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia Junior College 15%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia Junior College 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • Columbia Junior College 0%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia Junior College 1%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia Junior College 98%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia Junior College 0%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • SMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • SMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • SMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • SMC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbia Junior College Yes
  • SMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College in Sonora, 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 Columbia Junior College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 2,828 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College is located in Sonora, CA (Remote Town setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College 21:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Columbia Junior College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia Junior 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 Columbia Junior College ($5,685 vs. $12,358).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 14.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,086 vs. $25,908).
  • Columbia College is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $126 more per year; $1,282.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 15.6% higher at SMC than at Columbia College (about $1,444 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $9,264.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College than at Santa Monica College (74% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 10.5% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($6,119 vs. $5,540).

Columbia Junior College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia Junior 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 Columbia Junior College.

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

Columbia Junior College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia Junior 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 $8,600 more per year than Columbia Junior College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $30,400), 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.