Golden West College vs. SMC

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

 Golden West College SMC
Location Huntington Beach, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 10,053 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website goldenwestcollege.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Golden West College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,768 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $5,088 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $8,623 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 64%

Admission

 Golden West 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 30, 2025

Academics

 Golden West College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Golden West College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,484 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $56 $67

Diversity

 Golden West College SMC
% Men 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 31% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Golden West College SMC
% In-State 90% 76%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 10,053 students)

Golden West College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or SMC?

  • Golden West 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 8% higher at Golden West College than Santa Monica College ($9,768.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Golden West College than SMC ($5,088 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Golden West College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Golden West College than Santa Monica College (83% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 85.4% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($8,623 vs. $4,650)

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

Golden West College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Golden West 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 Golden West College.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Golden West College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $37,000)
  • Golden West College students graduate with a $1,016 lower median federal student loan debt than SMC graduates. ($5,484 vs. $6,500)
  • Golden West College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than SMC graduates. ($56 vs. $67)
  • More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 45%)

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