SMC vs. PGCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA with Professional Golfers Career College in Temecula, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Monica College is larger than PGCC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 70 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Santa Monica College is located in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting); Professional Golfers Career College is in Temecula, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Professional Golfers Career College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Monica College 27:1; Professional Golfers Career College 17:1.

SMC vs. PGCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or PGCC? 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 PGCC ($5,685 vs. $35,686).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Professional Golfers Career College are 41.7% lower than at Santa Monica College ($15,113 vs. $25,908).
• Professional Golfers Career College is 1,529.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $17,684 more per year; $18,840.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 75.9% higher at PGCC than at Santa Monica College (about $8,132 more per year; $18,840.00 vs. $10,708.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at Professional Golfers Career College (64% vs. 16%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 81.5% larger than aid received by Professional Golfers Career College students ($5,540 vs. $3,053).

SMC vs. PGCC Admissions comparison

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

SMC vs. PGCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMC and PGCC? 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 Professional Golfers Career College earn a median of about $11,900 more per year than SMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,900 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Monica College graduates have a $5,500 lower median loan debt than PGCC graduates ($6,500 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, SMC graduates have an estimated $57 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than PGCC graduates ($67 vs. $124).
• More PGCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 45%)

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.