ECC vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than Smith Chason College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 2,447 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

ECC vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC 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 El Camino Community College District than Smith Chason College ($8,837 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 12% lower than at Smith Chason College ($19,431 vs. $22,086).
• Smith Chason College is 1,564.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $17,896 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 149.5% higher at Smith Chason College than at El Camino Community College District (about $11,410 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Smith Chason College than at El Camino Community College District (71% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 2.5% larger than aid received by Smith Chason College students ($6,896 vs. $6,731).

ECC vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC 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 ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; Smith Chason College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC 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 $19,800 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Smith Chason College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 25%)

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.