Cuesta College vs. SMC

Should I go to Cuesta College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College 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.
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Cuesta College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Cuesta College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Santa Monica College
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Overview

 Cuesta College SMC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 9,908 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $14,507 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 64%

Admission

 Cuesta College 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 13, 2025 Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 Cuesta College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $116 $67

Diversity

 Cuesta College SMC
% Men 49% 44%
% Women 51% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 27% 38%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Cuesta College SMC
% In-State 95% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Cuesta College 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 Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or SMC?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at Cuesta College than Santa Monica College ($9,296.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Cuesta College ($6,656 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Santa Monica College (86% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 2% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($4,650 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College 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 Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $1,800 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $11,250)
  • SMC graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($67 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 45%)

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