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Pasadena City College ECC Los Angeles City College West Los Angeles College SBCC Pierce College Orange Coast College De Anza College GCC Golden West College Fullerton College DVC| Santa Ana College | Santa Monica College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SAC | SMC | ||
| Location | Santa Ana, CA | Santa Monica, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,852 | 22,375 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sac.edu | smc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SAC | SMC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,104 | $1,104 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $8,712 | $9,048 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,302 | $11,556 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,700 | $6,656 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,374 | $4,650 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 64% |
Admission |
SAC | 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 | Apr 1, 2025 | Aug 30, 2025 |
Academics |
SAC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 31:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
SAC | SMC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,500 | $39,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 45% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $6,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $67 |
Diversity |
SAC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 57% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 43% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 50% | 38% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 15% | 1% |
Students |
SAC | SMC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
SAC | 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 Ana College is larger than than SMC based on total student enrollment (23,852 students vs. 22,375 students)
SAC vs. SMC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SAC or SMC?
- Santa Ana 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 3.9% higher at SMC than Santa Ana College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,712.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Ana College than SMC ($4,700 vs. $6,656)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 67% lower than costs at Santa Ana College ($11,556 vs. $19,302)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Ana College than Santa Monica College (97% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 58.6% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($7,374 vs. $4,650)
Which college is harder to get into, SAC or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or SAC .
SAC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SAC 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 SAC.
- Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $1,500 more per year than SAC graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $37,500)
- Santa Monica College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SAC graduates. ($6,500 vs. $7,500)
- SMC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans 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/