CCC vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Contra Costa College is larger than Smith Chason College based on total student enrollment (6,538 students vs. 2,447 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Contra Costa College is located in San Pablo, CA (Large Suburban setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Contra Costa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Contra Costa College 22:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

CCC vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCC or Smith Chason College? 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 Contra Costa College than Smith Chason College ($11,384 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Smith Chason College are 5% lower than at Contra Costa College ($22,086 vs. $23,238).
• Smith Chason College is 1,351.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCC (about $17,728 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,312.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 84.5% higher at Smith Chason College than at Contra Costa College (about $8,720 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Contra Costa College than at Smith Chason College (84% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Smith Chason College students is 19.1% larger than aid received by Contra Costa College students ($6,731 vs. $5,652).

CCC vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCC or Smith Chason College? 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 Smith Chason College and CCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CCC - Open admission; Smith Chason College - Open admission.

CCC vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCC and Smith Chason College? 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 Smith Chason College earn a median of about $19,200 more per year than CCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Smith Chason College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCC students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 28%)

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.