Orange Coast College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, 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 Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 17,096 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Orange Coast College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College ($5,685 vs. $9,116).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 26% lower than at Santa Monica College ($19,159 vs. $25,908).
• Orange Coast College is 20.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $236 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.7% higher at Orange Coast College than at Santa Monica College (about $932 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Orange Coast College than at Santa Monica College (66% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 0.9% larger than aid received by Orange Coast College students ($5,540 vs. $5,493).

Orange Coast College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College.

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

Orange Coast College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $3,200 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College and Orange Coast College graduates have the same median loan debt ($6,500 vs. $6,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Santa Monica College and Orange Coast College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($67 vs. $67).
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.