SMC vs. SCC

Should I go to Santa Monica College or Santiago Canyon College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SMC or SCC 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 Monica College vs. Santiago Canyon College comparison
Santa Monica College Santiago Canyon College College 3 College 4
Santa Monica College Santiago Canyon College
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Overview

 SMC SCC
Location Santa Monica, CA Orange, CA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 22,375 11,696
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smc.edu sccollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SMC SCC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,048 $8,712
Room & Board $11,556 $17,784
Avg Net Price $6,656 $6,529
Avg Grant Aid $4,650 $5,101
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 71%

Admission

 SMC SCC
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 30, 2025

Academics

 SMC SCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 36:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (63%)
  • Engineering Technology (10%)
  • Construction Trades (9%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (4%)

Outcomes

 SMC SCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 41%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $67 N/A

Diversity

 SMC SCC
% Men 44% 64%
% Women 56% 36%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 36%
% Black 9% 2%
% Hispanic 38% 47%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 SMC SCC
% In-State 76% 93%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Monica College is larger than than SCC based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 11,696 students)

SMC vs. SCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or SCC?

  • Santa Monica College and SCC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.9% higher at SMC than Santiago Canyon College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,712.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santiago Canyon College than SMC ($6,529 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at Santiago Canyon College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santiago Canyon College than Santa Monica College (71% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santiago Canyon College students is 9.7% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($5,101 vs. $4,650)

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

SMC vs. SCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SMC or SCC? 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 SCC and SMC.

  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCC students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 41%)

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