SMCC vs. Washington County Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, ME with Washington County Community College in Calais, ME on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern Maine Community College is larger than Washington County Community College based on total student enrollment (7,900 students vs. 805 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southern Maine Community College is located in South Portland, ME (Small City setting); Washington County Community College is in Calais, ME (Rural Fringe setting).
• Southern Maine Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Washington County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southern Maine Community College 20:1; Washington County Community College 12:1.

SMCC vs. Washington County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMCC or Washington County Community 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 Washington County Community College than SMCC ($5,149 vs. $14,341).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington County Community College are 26% lower than at Southern Maine Community College ($8,118 vs. $10,974).
• Southern Maine Community College and Washington County Community College have the same published in-state tuition ($4,156.00 vs. $4,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at SMCC as at Washington County Community College ($7,036.00 vs. $7,036.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southern Maine Community College than at Washington County Community College (90% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Washington County Community College students is 47.8% larger than aid received by Southern Maine Community College students ($8,582 vs. $5,808).

SMCC vs. Washington County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SMCC or Washington County Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Washington County Community College and SMCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SMCC - Open admission; Washington County Community College - Open admission.

SMCC vs. Washington County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMCC and Washington County Community College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Southern Maine Community College earn a median of about $6,600 more per year than Washington County Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,000 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Washington County Community College graduates have a $5,800 lower median loan debt than SMCC graduates ($5,500 vs. $11,300).
• Among borrowers, Washington County Community College graduates have an estimated $60 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SMCC graduates ($56 vs. $116).
• More SMCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington County Community College students, three years after graduation. (48% vs. 39%)

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.