Cypress College vs. SMC

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

Cypress College SMC
Location Cypress, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,523 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cypresscollege.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cypress College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,048 $9,048
Room & Board $26,676 $11,556
Avg Net Price $7,421 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $7,377 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 64%

Admission

Cypress 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 25, 2025 Aug 30, 2025

Academics

Cypress College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (26%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (14%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

Cypress College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $98 $67

Diversity

Cypress College SMC
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 19% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 46% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Cypress College SMC
% In-State 99% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than Cypress College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 13,523 students)

Cypress College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cypress College or SMC?

  • Cypress College and SMC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Cypress College as Santa Monica College ($9,048.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Cypress College ($6,656 vs. $7,421)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 130.8% lower than costs at Cypress College ($11,556 vs. $26,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cypress College than Santa Monica College (87% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cypress College students is 58.6% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($7,377 vs. $4,650)

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

Cypress College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cypress 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 Cypress College.

  • Graduates from Cypress College earn on average $300 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cypress College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $9,500)
  • SMC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Cypress College graduates. ($67 vs. $98)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cypress College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 38%)

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