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Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College SBCC Pierce College De Anza College Orange Coast College DVC GCC Moorpark College Irvine Valley College| Los Medanos College | Santa Monica College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
LMC | SMC | ||
| Location | Pittsburg, CA | Santa Monica, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 7,791 | 22,375 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | losmedanos.edu | smc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
LMC | SMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $1,104 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $8,988 | $9,048 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,493 | $11,556 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,459 | $6,656 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,378 | $4,650 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 84% | 64% |
Admission |
LMC | 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 9, 2025 | Aug 30, 2025 |
Academics |
LMC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
LMC | SMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,700 | $39,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 43% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | N/A | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | N/A | $67 |
Diversity |
LMC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 28% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 15% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 38% | 38% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 4% | ||
| % International | 0% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
LMC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
LMC | 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 LMC based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 7,791 students)
LMC vs. SMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, LMC or SMC?
- Los Medanos 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 0.7% higher at SMC than Los Medanos College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,988.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than LMC ($6,656 vs. $7,459)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 77.3% lower than costs at Los Medanos College ($11,556 vs. $20,493)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Los Medanos College than Santa Monica College (84% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 6.2% larger than aid received Los Medanos College ($4,650 vs. $4,378)
Which college is harder to get into, LMC or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or LMC .
LMC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, LMC 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 LMC.
- Graduates from Los Medanos College earn on average $1,700 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($40,700 vs. $39,000)
- More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LMC 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/