De Anza College vs. SMC

Deciding between De Anza 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.

De Anza College
Santa Monica College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • De Anza College Cupertino, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • De Anza College Small City
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • De Anza College 17,425
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • De Anza College Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • De Anza College
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • De Anza College -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • De Anza College Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • De Anza College
  • SMC
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • De Anza College $1,571
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • De Anza College $12,596
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • De Anza College $20,791
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • De Anza College $9,693
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • De Anza College $4,509
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • De Anza College 69%
  • SMC 64%
  • Admissions

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

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • De Anza College 28:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • De Anza College
    • Business (27%)
    • Social Sciences (18%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • General Studies (9%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • De Anza College -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • De Anza College $47,900
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • De Anza College 39%
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • De Anza College N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • De Anza College N/A
  • SMC $67
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • De Anza College 52%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • De Anza College 48%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • De Anza College Very High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • De Anza College No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • De Anza College 19%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • De Anza College 35%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • De Anza College 3%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • De Anza College 26%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • De Anza College 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • De Anza College 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • De Anza College 4%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • De Anza College 11%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • De Anza College 1%
  • SMC 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • De Anza College 81%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • De Anza College 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare De Anza College in Cupertino, 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 De Anza College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 17,425 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • De Anza College is located in Cupertino, CA (Small City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • De Anza College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: De Anza College 28:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

De Anza College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, De Anza 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 De Anza College ($5,685 vs. $9,693).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at De Anza College are 19.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($20,791 vs. $25,908).
  • De Anza College is 35.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $415 more per year; $1,571.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 17.6% higher at De Anza College than at Santa Monica College (about $1,888 more per year; $12,596.00 vs. $10,708.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at De Anza College than at Santa Monica College (69% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 22.9% larger than aid received by De Anza College students ($5,540 vs. $4,509).

De Anza College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, De Anza 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 De Anza College.

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

De Anza College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for De Anza 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 De Anza College earn a median of about $8,900 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,900 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former De Anza College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 39%)

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.