SMC vs. West Los Angeles College

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

 SMC West Los Angeles College
Location Santa Monica, CA Culver City, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,375 8,656
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smc.edu wlac.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SMC West Los Angeles College
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,196
Tuition (Out of State) $9,048 $9,828
Room & Board $11,556 $17,784
Avg Net Price $6,656 $11,800
Avg Grant Aid $4,650 $6,951
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 65%

Admission

 SMC West Los Angeles 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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 SMC West Los Angeles College
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 24:1
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 (25%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Legal Professions (11%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (8%)

Outcomes

 SMC West Los Angeles College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 26%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $98

Diversity

 SMC West Los Angeles College
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 13%
% Black 9% 28%
% Hispanic 38% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 SMC West Los Angeles College
% In-State 76% 91%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 SMC West Los Angeles 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 West Los Angeles College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 8,656 students)

SMC vs. West Los Angeles College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or West Los Angeles College?

  • West Los Angeles College is 8.3% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,196.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at West Los Angeles College than Santa Monica College ($9,828.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Monica College than West Los Angeles College ($6,656 vs. $11,800)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 53.9% lower than costs at West Los Angeles College ($11,556 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Los Angeles College than Santa Monica College (65% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Los Angeles College students is 49.5% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($6,951 vs. $4,650)

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

SMC vs. West Los Angeles College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SMC or West Los Angeles 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 West Los Angeles College and SMC.

  • Graduates from Santa Monica College earn on average $3,300 more per year than West Los Angeles College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $35,700)
  • Santa Monica College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than West Los Angeles College graduates. ($6,500 vs. $9,500)
  • SMC graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than West Los Angeles College graduates. ($67 vs. $98)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Los Angeles College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 26%)

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