SMC vs. Skyline College

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

 SMC Skyline College
Location Santa Monica, CA San Bruno, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,375 8,523
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smc.edu skylinecollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SMC Skyline College
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,048 $9,434
Room & Board $11,556 $20,858
Avg Net Price $6,656 $5,161
Avg Grant Aid $4,650 $6,408
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 80%

Admission

 SMC Skyline College
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 Skyline College
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 27:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (24%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

 SMC Skyline College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $43,300
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $67 N/A

Diversity

 SMC Skyline College
% Men 44% 48%
% Women 56% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 19%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 38% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 SMC Skyline College
% In-State 76% 87%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 SMC Skyline College
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 Skyline College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 8,523 students)

SMC vs. Skyline College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or Skyline College?

  • Skyline College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at Skyline College than Santa Monica College ($9,434.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Skyline College than SMC ($5,161 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 80.5% lower than costs at Skyline College ($11,556 vs. $20,858)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Skyline College than Santa Monica College (80% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Skyline College students is 37.8% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($6,408 vs. $4,650)

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

SMC vs. Skyline College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SMC or Skyline College? 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 Skyline College and SMC.

  • Graduates from Skyline College earn on average $4,300 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($43,300 vs. $39,000)
  • More Skyline College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 45%)

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