Mendocino College vs. SMC

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

Mendocino College SMC
Location Ukiah, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,554 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mendocino.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mendocino College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,380 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,850 $9,048
Room & Board $16,580 $11,556
Avg Net Price $12,439 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $5,589 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 64%

Admission

Mendocino 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

Mendocino College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

Mendocino College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $29,400 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,000 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $67

Diversity

Mendocino College SMC
% Men 37% 44%
% Women 63% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 27% 38%
% Native American 6% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Mendocino College SMC
% In-State 93% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Mendocino College SMC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 3,554 students)

Mendocino College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mendocino College or SMC?

  • Mendocino College is 25% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,380.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at SMC than Mendocino College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,850.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Mendocino College ($6,656 vs. $12,439)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 43.5% lower than costs at Mendocino College ($11,556 vs. $16,580)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mendocino College than Santa Monica College (77% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 20.2% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,589 vs. $4,650)

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

Mendocino College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mendocino 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 Mendocino College.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $9,600 more per year than Mendocino College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $29,400)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Mendocino College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $13,000)
  • SMC graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Mendocino College graduates. ($67 vs. $134)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 30%)

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