Orange Coast College vs. SMC

Should I go to Orange Coast College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Orange Coast College 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.
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Orange Coast College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Orange Coast College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Santa Monica College
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Overview

 Orange Coast College SMC
Location Costa Mesa, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 16,614 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website orangecoastcollege.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Orange Coast College SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,664 $9,048
Room & Board $17,297 $11,556
Avg Net Price $6,744 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $6,411 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 64%

Admission

 Orange Coast College 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

 Orange Coast College SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Orange Coast College SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $67

Diversity

 Orange Coast College SMC
% Men 50% 44%
% Women 50% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 26%
% Black 2% 9%
% Hispanic 33% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Orange Coast College SMC
% In-State 90% 76%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

 Orange Coast College 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

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 16,614 students)

Orange Coast College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or SMC?

  • Orange Coast College and SMC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.4% higher at SMC than Orange Coast College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,664.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Orange Coast College ($6,656 vs. $6,744)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 49.7% lower than costs at Orange Coast College ($11,556 vs. $17,297)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Orange Coast College than Santa Monica College (72% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 37.9% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($6,411 vs. $4,650)

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

Orange Coast College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Orange Coast College 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 Orange Coast College.

  • Graduates from Orange Coast College earn on average $3,200 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College and Orange Coast College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($6,500 vs. $6,500)
  • Santa Monica College and Orange Coast College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($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/