GCC vs. SMC

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

 GCC SMC
Location Glendale, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 10,658 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website glendale.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GCC SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,304 $9,048
Room & Board $20,563 $11,556
Avg Net Price $8,849 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $5,715 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 64%

Admission

 GCC 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 30, 2025

Academics

 GCC SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (25%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 GCC SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,200 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $6,500
Median Loan Payment N/A $67

Diversity

 GCC SMC
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 26%
% Black 3% 9%
% Hispanic 32% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 GCC SMC
% In-State 91% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than GCC based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 10,658 students)

GCC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GCC or SMC?

  • Glendale Community 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 9% higher at SMC than Glendale Community College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,304.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than GCC ($6,656 vs. $8,849)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 77.9% lower than costs at Glendale Community College ($11,556 vs. $20,563)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Glendale Community College than Santa Monica College (67% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Glendale Community College students is 22.9% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,715 vs. $4,650)

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

GCC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GCC 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 GCC.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $800 more per year than GCC graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $38,200)
  • More GCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 45%)

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