IVC vs. Smith Chason College

Comparable Facts

Compare Imperial Valley College in Imperial, CA with Smith Chason College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Imperial Valley College is larger than Smith Chason College based on total student enrollment (8,873 students vs. 2,447 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Imperial Valley College is located in Imperial, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Smith Chason College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Imperial Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Smith Chason College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Imperial Valley College 31:1; Smith Chason College 21:1.

IVC vs. Smith Chason College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IVC 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 Imperial Valley College than Smith Chason College ($1,890 vs. $32,817).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Imperial Valley College are 58.6% lower than at Smith Chason College ($9,153 vs. $22,086).
• Smith Chason College is 1,558.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than IVC (about $17,892 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $1,148.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 115.1% higher at Smith Chason College than at Imperial Valley College (about $10,188 more per year; $19,040.00 vs. $8,852.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Imperial Valley College than at Smith Chason College (91% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Imperial Valley College students is 47.6% larger than aid received by Smith Chason College students ($9,933 vs. $6,731).

IVC vs. Smith Chason College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IVC 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 IVC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: IVC - Open admission; Smith Chason College - Open admission.

IVC vs. Smith Chason College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for IVC 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 $27,400 more per year than IVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,200 vs. $28,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.