SMC vs. West Valley College

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

SMC West Valley College
Location Santa Monica, CA Saratoga, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,375 6,513
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smc.edu westvalley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SMC West Valley College
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,380
Tuition (Out of State) $9,048 $8,700
Room & Board $11,556 $19,348
Avg Net Price $6,656 $5,468
Avg Grant Aid $4,650 $6,185
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 63%

Admission

SMC West Valley 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 West Valley College
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 17:1
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 (38%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Legal Professions (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

SMC West Valley College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $67 N/A

Diversity

SMC West Valley College
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 26% 44%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 38% 27%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

SMC West Valley College
% In-State 76% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

SMC West Valley 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 Valley College based on total student enrollment (22,375 students vs. 6,513 students)

SMC vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or West Valley College?

  • West Valley College is 25% more expensive to attend than SMC for in-state tuition ($1,380.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at SMC than West Valley College ($9,048.00 vs. $8,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Valley College than SMC ($5,468 vs. $6,656)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Monica College are 67.4% lower than costs at West Valley College ($11,556 vs. $19,348)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Monica College than West Valley College (64% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Valley College students is 33% larger than aid received Santa Monica College ($6,185 vs. $4,650)

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

SMC vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SMC or West Valley 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 Valley College and SMC.

  • Graduates from West Valley College earn on average $2,100 more per year than SMC graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $39,000)
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Valley College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 45%)

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