LMC vs. SMC

Deciding between Los Medanos College and Santa Monica College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Santa Monica College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • LMC Pittsburg, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • LMC Midsize Suburban
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • LMC 8,455
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • LMC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • LMC Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • LMC
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • LMC $1,312
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • LMC $10,320
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • LMC $23,238
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • LMC $9,860
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • LMC $5,109
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • LMC 83%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • LMC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • LMC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • LMC Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • LMC
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • LMC Open admission
  • SMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • LMC Aug 9, 2027
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • LMC 23:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • LMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (37%)
    • Health Professions (21%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (11%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Business (7%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • LMC -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • LMC $40,700
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • LMC 43%
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • LMC N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • LMC N/A
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • LMC 43%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • LMC 57%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • LMC Very High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • LMC No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • LMC 28%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • LMC 9%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • LMC 15%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • LMC 38%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • LMC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • LMC 1%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • LMC 8%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • LMC 0%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • LMC 1%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • LMC 94%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • LMC 0%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • LMC No
  • SMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • LMC No
  • SMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • LMC No
  • SMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • LMC Yes
  • SMC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • LMC Yes
  • SMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Monica College is larger than LMC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 8,455 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Los Medanos College is located in Pittsburg, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Los Medanos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Los Medanos College 23:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

LMC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LMC or SMC? 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 Santa Monica College than LMC ($5,685 vs. $9,860).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Los Medanos College are 10.3% lower than at Santa Monica College ($23,238 vs. $25,908).
  • Los Medanos College is 13.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $156 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.8% higher at SMC than at Los Medanos College (about $388 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Medanos College than at Santa Monica College (83% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 8.4% larger than aid received by Los Medanos College students ($5,540 vs. $5,109).

LMC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LMC or SMC? 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 SMC and LMC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LMC - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: LMC Aug 9, 2027; SMC Aug 30, 2027.

LMC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LMC and SMC? 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 Los Medanos College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,700 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.