CMC vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Smith Chason College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (2,447 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Copper Mountain Community College is located in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Copper Mountain Community College 18:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

CMC vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CMC 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 Copper Mountain Community College than Smith Chason College ($9,827 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Copper Mountain Community College and Smith Chason College ($22,086).
• Smith Chason College is 1,269.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMC (about $17,650 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,390.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.3% higher at Smith Chason College than at Copper Mountain Community College (about $5,470 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $13,570.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Smith Chason College (93% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 11.1% larger than aid received by Smith Chason College students ($7,478 vs. $6,731).

CMC vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CMC 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 CMC.

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

CMC vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CMC 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 $23,200 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Smith Chason College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC 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.