SMC vs. CMC

Deciding between Santa Monica College and Copper Mountain Community 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

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • CMC Joshua Tree, CA
  • Setting
  • SMC Small City
  • CMC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • SMC 23,453
  • CMC 2,019
  • Type
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • CMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SMC
  • CMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SMC -
  • CMC -
  • Status
  • SMC Non-profit
  • CMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SMC
  • CMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SMC $1,156
  • CMC $1,390
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SMC $10,708
  • CMC $13,570
  • Room & Board
  • SMC $25,908
  • CMC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • SMC $5,685
  • CMC $9,827
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SMC $5,540
  • CMC $7,478
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SMC 64%
  • CMC 93%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SMC 27:1
  • CMC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • CMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SMC -
  • CMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SMC $39,000
  • CMC $33,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SMC 45%
  • CMC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SMC $6,500
  • CMC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SMC $67
  • CMC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SMC 45%
  • CMC 36%
  • % Women
  • SMC 55%
  • CMC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SMC Very High
  • CMC High
  • HBCU
  • SMC No
  • CMC No
  • % White
  • SMC 26%
  • CMC 52%
  • % Asian
  • SMC 10%
  • CMC 4%
  • % Black
  • SMC 9%
  • CMC 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • SMC 38%
  • CMC 27%
  • % Native American
  • SMC 0%
  • CMC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SMC 0%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SMC 4%
  • CMC 7%
  • % International
  • SMC 11%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SMC 1%
  • CMC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SMC 78%
  • CMC 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SMC 0%
  • CMC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Monica College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Monica College is located in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Monica College 27:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

SMC vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or CMC? 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 CMC ($5,685 vs. $9,827).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Copper Mountain Community College are 14.8% lower than at Santa Monica College ($22,086 vs. $25,908).
  • Copper Mountain Community College is 20.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $234 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 26.7% higher at CMC than at Santa Monica College (about $2,862 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $10,708.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Santa Monica College (93% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 35% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($7,478 vs. $5,540).

SMC vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SMC or CMC? 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 CMC 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; CMC - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SMC Aug 30, 2027.

SMC vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMC and CMC? 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 $6,000 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 28%)

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.