Monroe County Community College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Monroe County Community College in Monroe, MI with Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Monroe County Community College is larger than SMC based on total student enrollment (2,210 students vs. 2,000 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Monroe County Community College is located in Monroe, MI (Small Suburban setting); Southwestern Michigan College is in Dowagiac, MI (Rural Fringe setting).
• Monroe County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwestern Michigan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Monroe County Community College 15:1; Southwestern Michigan College 17:1.

Monroe County Community College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Monroe County Community College 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 Monroe County Community College than SMC ($4,825 vs. $6,684).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Monroe County Community College are 29.8% lower than at Southwestern Michigan College ($7,596 vs. $10,825).
• Southwestern Michigan College is 4.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Monroe County Community College (about $353 more per year; $7,864.00 vs. $7,511.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.5% higher at SMC than at Monroe County Community College (about $127 more per year; $8,394.00 vs. $8,267.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Michigan College than at Monroe County Community College (94% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Michigan College students is 53.4% larger than aid received by Monroe County Community College students ($8,166 vs. $5,324).

Monroe County Community College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Monroe County Community College 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 Monroe County Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Monroe County Community College - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.

Monroe County Community College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Monroe County Community College 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 Monroe County Community College earn a median of about $4,800 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Monroe County Community College graduates have a $687 lower median loan debt than SMC graduates ($11,313 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, Monroe County Community College graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SMC graduates ($116 vs. $124).
• More Monroe County Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 28%)

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.