DVC vs. SMC

Deciding between Diablo Valley 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.

Santa Monica College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • DVC Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • DVC
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • DVC $1,312
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • DVC $10,320
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • DVC $23,238
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • DVC $11,001
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • DVC 61%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • DVC 52%
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • DVC N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • DVC N/A
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • DVC 49%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • DVC 51%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • DVC Very High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • DVC No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • DVC 38%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • DVC 15%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • DVC 5%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • DVC 23%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • DVC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • DVC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • DVC 8%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • DVC 9%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • DVC 1%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • DVC 90%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • DVC 0%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, 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 DVC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 17,228 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

DVC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC 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 DVC ($5,685 vs. $11,001).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Diablo Valley College are 10.3% lower than at Santa Monica College ($23,238 vs. $25,908).
  • Diablo Valley College is 13.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $156 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.8% higher at SMC than at Diablo Valley College (about $388 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at Diablo Valley College (64% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 24.7% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($5,540 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC 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 DVC.

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

DVC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC 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 Diablo Valley College earn a median of about $5,800 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 45%)

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.