SMC vs. College of the Siskiyous

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Monica College is larger than College of the Siskiyous based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 1,575 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Santa Monica College is located in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting); College of the Siskiyous is in Weed, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Siskiyous is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Monica College 27:1; College of the Siskiyous 13:1.

SMC vs. College of the Siskiyous Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or College of the Siskiyous? 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 College of the Siskiyous ($5,685 vs. $11,117).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Siskiyous are 63.5% lower than at Santa Monica College ($9,456 vs. $25,908).
• College of the Siskiyous is 24.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $288 more per year; $1,444.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14% higher at SMC than at College of the Siskiyous (about $1,314 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $9,394.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at College of the Siskiyous (64% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Siskiyous students is 13.9% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($6,308 vs. $5,540).

SMC vs. College of the Siskiyous Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SMC or College of the Siskiyous? 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 College of the Siskiyous and SMC.

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

SMC vs. College of the Siskiyous Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMC and College of the Siskiyous? 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 $8,100 more per year than College of the Siskiyous graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $30,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $5,780 lower median loan debt than College of the Siskiyous graduates ($6,500 vs. $12,280).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $59 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of the Siskiyous graduates ($67 vs. $126).
• More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Siskiyous students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 32%)

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.