Palo Verde College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Palo Verde College in Blythe, 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 Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palo Verde College is located in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Palo Verde College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palo Verde College 22:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Palo Verde College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde College ($5,685 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palo Verde College are 0.5% lower than at Santa Monica College ($25,767 vs. $25,908).
• Palo Verde College is 11.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $132 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 20.3% higher at Palo Verde College than at Santa Monica College (about $2,172 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at Santa Monica College (92% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 78.1% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($5,540 vs. $3,111).

Palo Verde College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde College.

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

Palo Verde College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palo Verde 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 Santa Monica College earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $29,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.