Valley College vs. SMC

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

 Valley College SMC
Location Valley Glen, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 15,037 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lavc.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Valley College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,196 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,828 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $11,938 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $7,203 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 64%

Admission

 Valley 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

 Valley College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (44%)
  • Work and Family Studies (21%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Valley College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $87 $67

Diversity

 Valley College SMC
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 30% 26%
% Black 5% 9%
% Hispanic 50% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Valley College SMC
% In-State 96% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Valley 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 Valley College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 15,037 students)

Valley College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Valley College or SMC?

  • Los Angeles Valley College is 8.3% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,196.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at Valley College than Santa Monica College ($9,828.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Valley College ($6,656 vs. $11,938)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Los Angeles Valley College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Los Angeles Valley College than Santa Monica College (75% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Valley College students is 54.9% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($7,203 vs. $4,650)

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

Valley College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Valley 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 Valley College.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $2,000 more per year than Valley College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $37,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Valley College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $8,500)
  • SMC graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Valley College graduates. ($67 vs. $87)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Valley College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 39%)

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