Riverside City College vs. SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Riverside City College in Riverside, 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 Riverside City College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 21,730 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Riverside City College is located in Riverside, CA (Large City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
• Riverside City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Riverside City College 26:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Riverside City College vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Riverside City 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 Riverside City College ($5,685 vs. $10,174).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 3.1% lower than at Riverside City College ($25,908 vs. $26,740).
• Riverside City College is 23.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $272 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.7% higher at Riverside City College than at Santa Monica College (about $1,790 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Riverside City College than at Santa Monica College (78% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 16.7% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($6,463 vs. $5,540).

Riverside City College vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Riverside City 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 Riverside City College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Riverside City College - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026; SMC Aug 30, 2027.

Riverside City College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Riverside City 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 $3,000 more per year than Riverside City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $36,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $1,500 lower median loan debt than Riverside City College graduates ($6,500 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Riverside City College graduates ($67 vs. $82).
• More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Riverside City College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 41%)

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.