SMC vs. Sierra College

Deciding between Santa Monica College and Sierra 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
  • Sierra College Rocklin, CA
  • Setting
  • SMC Small City
  • Sierra College Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • SMC 23,453
  • Sierra College 19,125
  • Type
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • Sierra College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SMC
  • Sierra College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SMC -
  • Sierra College -
  • Status
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Sierra College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SMC
  • Sierra College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SMC $1,156
  • Sierra College $1,446
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SMC $10,708
  • Sierra College $1,446
  • Room & Board
  • SMC $25,908
  • Sierra College $13,631
  • Average Net Price
  • SMC $5,685
  • Sierra College $10,285
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SMC $5,540
  • Sierra College $5,006
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SMC 64%
  • Sierra College 80%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SMC 27:1
  • Sierra College 25:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Sierra College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
    • Business (17%)
    • General Studies (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SMC -
  • Sierra College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SMC $39,000
  • Sierra College $36,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SMC 45%
  • Sierra College 32%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SMC $6,500
  • Sierra College N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SMC $67
  • Sierra College N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SMC 45%
  • Sierra College 46%
  • % Women
  • SMC 55%
  • Sierra College 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SMC Very High
  • Sierra College High
  • HBCU
  • SMC No
  • Sierra College No
  • % White
  • SMC 26%
  • Sierra College 58%
  • % Asian
  • SMC 10%
  • Sierra College 5%
  • % Black
  • SMC 9%
  • Sierra College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • SMC 38%
  • Sierra College 27%
  • % Native American
  • SMC 0%
  • Sierra College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SMC 0%
  • Sierra College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SMC 4%
  • Sierra College 5%
  • % International
  • SMC 11%
  • Sierra College 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SMC 1%
  • Sierra College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SMC 78%
  • Sierra College 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SMC 0%
  • Sierra College 1%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Monica College is larger than Sierra College based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 19,125 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Monica College is located in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Monica College 27:1; Sierra College 25:1.

SMC vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or Sierra College? 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 Sierra College ($5,685 vs. $10,285).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 47.4% lower than at Santa Monica College ($13,631 vs. $25,908).
  • Sierra College is 25.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than SMC (about $290 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,156.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 640.5% higher at SMC than at Sierra College (about $9,262 more per year; $10,708.00 vs. $1,446.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sierra College than at Santa Monica College (80% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($5,540 vs. $5,006).

SMC vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

SMC vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMC and Sierra College? 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 $2,900 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College 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.