SBCC vs. SMC

Should I go to Santa Barbara City College or Santa Monica College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SBCC or SMC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Santa Barbara City College vs. Santa Monica College comparison
Santa Barbara City College Santa Monica College College 3 College 4
Santa Barbara City College Santa Monica College
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Overview

 SBCC SMC
Location Santa Barbara, CA Santa Monica, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 12,675 22,375
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sbcc.edu smc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SBCC SMC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,760 $9,048
Room & Board $17,784 $11,556
Avg Net Price $14,180 $6,656
Avg Grant Aid $4,496 $4,650
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 64%

Admission

 SBCC 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 19, 2025 Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 SBCC SMC
Student to Faculty Ratio 37:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 SBCC SMC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $98 $67

Diversity

 SBCC SMC
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 26%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 33% 38%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 SBCC SMC
% In-State 80% 76%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 SBCC SMC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than SBCC based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 12,675 students)

SBCC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SBCC or SMC?

  • Santa Barbara City 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 3.3% higher at SMC than Santa Barbara City College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,760.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than SBCC ($6,656 vs. $14,180)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Santa Barbara City College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Santa Barbara City College as Santa Monica College (64% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 3.4% larger than aid received Santa Barbara City College ($4,650 vs. $4,496)

Which college is harder to get into, SBCC or SMC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMC or SBCC .

SBCC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SBCC 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 SBCC.

  • Graduates from Santa Barbara City College earn on average $1,400 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $39,000)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SBCC graduates. ($6,500 vs. $9,500)
  • SMC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than SBCC graduates. ($67 vs. $98)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 39%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/