Kennebec Valley Community College vs. SMCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, ME with Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, ME on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern Maine Community College is larger than Kennebec Valley Community College based on total student enrollment (7,900 students vs. 2,489 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Kennebec Valley Community College is located in Fairfield, ME (Remote Town setting); Southern Maine Community College is in South Portland, ME (Small City setting).
• Kennebec Valley Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southern Maine Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Kennebec Valley Community College 16:1; Southern Maine Community College 20:1.

Kennebec Valley Community College vs. SMCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kennebec Valley Community College or SMCC? 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 Kennebec Valley Community College than SMCC ($6,229 vs. $14,341).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kennebec Valley Community College are 33.1% lower than at Southern Maine Community College ($7,344 vs. $10,974).
• Kennebec Valley Community College and SMCC have the same published in-state tuition ($4,156.00 vs. $4,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at Kennebec Valley Community College as at Southern Maine Community College ($7,036.00 vs. $7,036.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Kennebec Valley Community College than at Southern Maine Community College (94% vs. 90%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Kennebec Valley Community College students is 0.7% larger than aid received by Southern Maine Community College students ($5,850 vs. $5,808).

Kennebec Valley Community College vs. SMCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kennebec Valley Community College or SMCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SMCC and Kennebec Valley Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Kennebec Valley Community College - Open admission; SMCC - Open admission.

Kennebec Valley Community College vs. SMCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kennebec Valley Community College and SMCC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Southern Maine Community College earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than Kennebec Valley Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $33,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern Maine Community College graduates have a $700 lower median loan debt than Kennebec Valley Community College graduates ($11,300 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, SMCC graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Kennebec Valley Community College graduates ($116 vs. $124).
• More SMCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kennebec Valley Community College students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 48%)

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.