Montcalm Community College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

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

Southwestern Michigan College is larger than Montcalm Community College based on total student enrollment (2,000 students vs. 1,751 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Montcalm Community College is located in Sidney, MI (Distant Rural setting); Southwestern Michigan College is in Dowagiac, MI (Rural Fringe setting).
• Montcalm 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: Montcalm Community College 13:1; Southwestern Michigan College 17:1.

Montcalm Community College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Montcalm 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 Southwestern Michigan College than Montcalm Community College ($6,684 vs. $8,640).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Michigan College are 9.1% lower than at Montcalm Community College ($10,825 vs. $11,910).
• Southwestern Michigan College is 19.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Montcalm Community College (about $1,288 more per year; $7,864.00 vs. $6,576.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 23.4% higher at Montcalm Community College than at Southwestern Michigan College (about $1,968 more per year; $10,362.00 vs. $8,394.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Montcalm Community College than at Southwestern Michigan College (100% vs. 94%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Michigan College students is 61.9% larger than aid received by Montcalm Community College students ($8,166 vs. $5,043).

Montcalm Community College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Montcalm 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 Montcalm Community College.

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

Montcalm Community College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Montcalm 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 Montcalm Community College earn a median of about $500 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,100 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern Michigan College and Montcalm Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Southwestern Michigan College and Montcalm Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More Montcalm Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.