MJC vs. SMC

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

 MJC SMC
Location Modesto, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 16,224 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mjc.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MJC SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,196 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $7,228 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $12,904 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $10,562 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 64%

Admission

 MJC 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 Jun 30, 2025 Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 MJC SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 MJC SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,000 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments - 45%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $6,500
Median Loan Payment N/A $67

Diversity

 MJC SMC
% Men 38% 44%
% Women 62% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 47% 38%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 MJC SMC
% In-State 96% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than MJC based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 16,224 students)

MJC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MJC or SMC?

  • Modesto Junior 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 25.2% higher at SMC than Modesto Junior College ($9,048.00 vs. $7,228.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than MJC ($6,656 vs. $12,904)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Modesto Junior College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Modesto Junior College than Santa Monica College (67% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Modesto Junior College students is 127.1% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($10,562 vs. $4,650)

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

MJC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MJC 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 MJC.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $5,000 more per year than MJC graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $34,000)

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