SBCC vs. SMC

Deciding between Santa Barbara City 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 Barbara City College
Santa Monica College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SBCC Santa Barbara, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • SBCC Small City
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • SBCC 12,334
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • SBCC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SBCC -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • SBCC Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SBCC
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SBCC $1,240
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SBCC $10,432
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & Board
  • SBCC $22,086
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • SBCC $14,186
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SBCC $5,889
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SBCC 41%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SBCC -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • SBCC -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SBCC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • SBCC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • SBCC -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SBCC -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SBCC Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • SBCC
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SBCC Open admission
  • SMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • SBCC Aug 19, 2027
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SBCC 24:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SBCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
    • General Studies (13%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Business (4%)
    • Social Sciences (3%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SBCC 45%
  • SMC 45%
  • % Women
  • SBCC 55%
  • SMC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SBCC High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • SBCC No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • SBCC 41%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • SBCC 5%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • SBCC 4%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • SBCC 33%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • SBCC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SBCC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SBCC 5%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • SBCC 9%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SBCC 2%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SBCC 81%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SBCC 0%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, 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 SBCC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 12,334 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Barbara City College is located in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Santa Barbara 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: Santa Barbara City College 24:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

SBCC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SBCC 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 SBCC ($5,685 vs. $14,186).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 14.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,086 vs. $25,908).
  • Santa Barbara City College is 7.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $84 more per year; $1,240.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2.6% higher at SMC than at Santa Barbara City College (about $276 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $10,432.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at Santa Barbara City College (64% vs. 41%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 6.3% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($5,889 vs. $5,540).

SBCC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SBCC 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 SBCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SBCC - Open admission; SMC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027; SMC Aug 30, 2027.

SBCC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SBCC 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 Barbara City College earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than SBCC graduates ($6,500 vs. $9,500).
  • Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.