SAC vs. SMC

Deciding between Santa Ana College and Santa Monica College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Santa Monica College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • SAC Santa Ana, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • SAC Large City
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • SAC 27,248
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • SAC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • SAC Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SAC
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SAC $1,180
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SAC $10,756
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • SAC $22,126
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • SAC $5,894
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SAC $6,768
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SAC 89%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SAC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • SAC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SAC Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • SAC
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SAC Open admission
  • SMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • SAC Apr 1, 2027
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SAC 33:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SAC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Work and Family Studies (2%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SAC -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SAC $37,500
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SAC 47%
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SAC $7,500
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SAC $77
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SAC 58%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • SAC 42%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SAC High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • SAC No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • SAC 21%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • SAC 8%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • SAC 1%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • SAC 50%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • SAC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SAC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SAC 1%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • SAC 1%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SAC 15%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SAC 96%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SAC 0%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SAC No
  • SMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SAC No
  • SMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • SAC No
  • SMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SAC Yes
  • SMC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • SAC Yes
  • SMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Ana College is larger than SMC based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 23,453 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Ana College is located in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Ana College 33:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

SAC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAC 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 SAC ($5,685 vs. $5,894).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 14.6% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,126 vs. $25,908).
  • Santa Ana College is 2.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $24 more per year; $1,180.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.4% higher at SAC than at Santa Monica College (about $48 more per year; $10,756.00 vs. $10,708.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at Santa Monica College (89% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 22.2% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($6,768 vs. $5,540).

SAC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SAC 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 SAC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SAC - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027; SMC Aug 30, 2027.

SAC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SAC 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 $1,500 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than SAC graduates ($6,500 vs. $7,500).
  • Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SAC graduates ($67 vs. $77).
  • More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (47% 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.