Mt. SAC vs. SMC

Should I go to Mt. San Antonio College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mt. SAC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Chaffey College Citrus College Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College RHC West Los Angeles College SBCC Fullerton College Pierce College De Anza College Orange Coast College
Mt. San Antonio College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Mt. San Antonio College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Mt. San Antonio College Santa Monica College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Mt. SAC SMC
Location Walnut, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 26,256 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mtsac.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mt. SAC SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $10,032 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $5,528 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $6,838 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 64%

Admission

 Mt. SAC 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

 Mt. SAC SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • General Studies (12%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Mt. SAC SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $4,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $46 $67

Diversity

 Mt. SAC SMC
% Men 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 12% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 61% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Mt. SAC SMC
% In-State 98% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mt. San Antonio College is larger than than SMC based on total student enrollment (26,256 students vs. 22,375 students)

Mt. SAC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mt. SAC or SMC?

  • Mt. San Antonio College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.9% higher at Mt. SAC than Santa Monica College ($10,032.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mt. San Antonio College than SMC ($5,528 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Mt. San Antonio College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mt. San Antonio College than Santa Monica College (79% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mt. San Antonio College students is 47.1% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($6,838 vs. $4,650)

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

Mt. SAC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mt. SAC 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 Mt. SAC.

  • Graduates from Mt. San Antonio College earn on average $100 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $39,000)
  • Mt. San Antonio College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SMC graduates. ($4,500 vs. $6,500)
  • Mt. SAC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SMC graduates. ($46 vs. $67)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mt. SAC students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 45%)

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