Hartnell College vs. SMC

Should I go to Hartnell College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Hartnell 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 Pierce College De Anza College Orange Coast College GCC Monterey Peninsula College DVC Moorpark College
Hartnell College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Hartnell College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Hartnell College Santa Monica College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Hartnell College SMC
Location Salinas, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 8,892 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hartnell.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Hartnell College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,380 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,970 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $7,279 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $4,026 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 64%

Admission

 Hartnell 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

 Hartnell College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (50%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Hartnell College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,300 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $6,500
Median Loan Payment N/A $67

Diversity

 Hartnell College SMC
% Men 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 20% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 65% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Hartnell College SMC
% In-State 98% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Hartnell 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 Hartnell College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 8,892 students)

Hartnell College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hartnell College or SMC?

  • Hartnell College is 25% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,380.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at SMC than Hartnell College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Hartnell College ($6,656 vs. $7,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Hartnell College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hartnell College than Santa Monica College (89% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 15.5% larger than aid received Hartnell College ($4,650 vs. $4,026)

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

Hartnell College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Hartnell 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 Hartnell College.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $2,700 more per year than Hartnell College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $36,300)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hartnell College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 27%)

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