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Pasadena City College Irvine Valley College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College SBCC Pierce College Orange Coast College De Anza College GCC DVC Moorpark College| Saddleback College | Santa Monica College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
| Location | Mission Viejo, CA | Santa Monica, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,660 | 22,375 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | saddleback.edu | smc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,104 | $1,104 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,768 | $9,048 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,452 | $11,556 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,940 | $6,656 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,062 | $4,650 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 64% |
Admission |
Saddleback 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 |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,300 | $39,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 46% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,120 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $63 | $67 |
Diversity |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 54% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 25% | 38% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Saddleback College | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Saddleback 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 Saddleback College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 16,660 students)
Saddleback College vs. SMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Saddleback College or SMC?
- Saddleback 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 8% higher at Saddleback College than Santa Monica College ($9,768.00 vs. $9,048.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than Saddleback College ($6,656 vs. $6,940)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 77% lower than costs at Saddleback College ($11,556 vs. $20,452)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Saddleback College as Santa Monica College (64% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Saddleback College students is 8.9% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,062 vs. $4,650)
Which college is harder to get into, Saddleback College or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or Saddleback College .
Saddleback College vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Saddleback 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 Saddleback College.
- Graduates from Saddleback College earn on average $5,300 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($44,300 vs. $39,000)
- Saddleback College students graduate with a $380 lower median federal student loan debt than SMC graduates. ($6,120 vs. $6,500)
- Saddleback College graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than SMC graduates. ($63 vs. $67)
- More Saddleback College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 45%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/