Grossmont College vs. SMC

Should I go to Grossmont College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Grossmont 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College SBCC San Diego Mesa College Southwestern College Pierce College De Anza College Cuyamaca College Orange Coast College GCC
Grossmont College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Grossmont College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Grossmont College Santa Monica College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Grossmont College SMC
Location El Cajon, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 12,862 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grossmont.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Grossmont College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,800 $9,048
Room & Board $14,800 $11,556
Avg Net Price $6,651 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $5,465 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 64%

Admission

 Grossmont 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 Jun 1, 2025 Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 Grossmont College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Grossmont College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,200 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $4,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $46 $67

Diversity

 Grossmont College SMC
% Men 41% 44%
% Women 59% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 26%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 33% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Grossmont College SMC
% In-State 94% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Grossmont 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 Grossmont College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 12,862 students)

Grossmont College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grossmont College or SMC?

  • Grossmont College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at Grossmont College than Santa Monica College ($9,800.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grossmont College than SMC ($6,651 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 28.1% lower than costs at Grossmont College ($11,556 vs. $14,800)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Grossmont College as Santa Monica College (64% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Grossmont College students is 17.5% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,465 vs. $4,650)

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

Grossmont College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grossmont 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 Grossmont College.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $800 more per year than Grossmont College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $38,200)
  • Grossmont College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SMC graduates. ($4,500 vs. $6,500)
  • Grossmont College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SMC graduates. ($46 vs. $67)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Grossmont College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 43%)

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