Napa Valley College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Napa Valley College in Napa, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Monica College is larger than Napa Valley College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 4,844 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Napa Valley College is located in Napa, CA (Small City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Napa Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Napa Valley College 21:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Napa Valley College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Napa Valley 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 Santa Monica College than Napa Valley College ($5,685 vs. $19,587).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Napa Valley College are 12.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,599 vs. $25,908).
• Napa Valley College and SMC have the same published in-state tuition ($1,156.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.2% higher at Napa Valley College than at Santa Monica College (about $1,200 more per year; $11,908.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Napa Valley College than at Santa Monica College (88% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 41.1% larger than aid received by Napa Valley College students ($5,540 vs. $3,927).

Napa Valley College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Napa Valley 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 Napa Valley College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Napa Valley College - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SMC Aug 30, 2027.

Napa Valley College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Napa Valley 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 Napa Valley College earn a median of about $5,300 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,300 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Napa Valley College graduates ($6,500 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Napa Valley College graduates ($67 vs. $77).
• More Napa Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 45%)

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.