SMC vs. BMCC

Deciding between Southwestern Michigan College and Bay Mills Community 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.

Southwestern Michigan College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SMC Dowagiac, MI
  • BMCC Brimley, MI
  • Setting
  • SMC Rural Fringe
  • BMCC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • SMC 2,000
  • BMCC 698
  • Type
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • BMCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SMC
  • BMCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SMC -
  • BMCC -
  • Status
  • SMC Non-profit
  • BMCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SMC
  • BMCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SMC $6,417
  • BMCC $3,480
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SMC $8,394
  • BMCC $3,480
  • Room & Board
  • SMC $10,825
  • BMCC $13,072
  • Average Net Price
  • SMC $6,684
  • BMCC $5,307
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SMC $8,166
  • BMCC $6,242
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SMC 94%
  • BMCC 95%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SMC 17:1
  • BMCC 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (41%)
    • Health Professions (29%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Engineering Technology (7%)
    • Communications Technology (3%)
  • BMCC
    • Health Professions (29%)
    • Education (14%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Foreign Languages (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SMC -
  • BMCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SMC $29,600
  • BMCC $25,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SMC 28%
  • BMCC -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SMC $12,000
  • BMCC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SMC $124
  • BMCC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SMC 39%
  • BMCC 17%
  • % Women
  • SMC 61%
  • BMCC 83%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SMC Low
  • BMCC High
  • HBCU
  • SMC No
  • BMCC No
  • % White
  • SMC 72%
  • BMCC 44%
  • % Asian
  • SMC 1%
  • BMCC 1%
  • % Black
  • SMC 12%
  • BMCC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • SMC 6%
  • BMCC 2%
  • % Native American
  • SMC 1%
  • BMCC 53%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SMC 0%
  • BMCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SMC 5%
  • BMCC 0%
  • % International
  • SMC 0%
  • BMCC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SMC 3%
  • BMCC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SMC 85%
  • BMCC 73%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SMC 14%
  • BMCC 27%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, MI with Bay Mills Community College in Brimley, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern Michigan College is larger than BMCC based on total student enrollment (2,000 students vs. 698 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Southwestern Michigan College is located in Dowagiac, MI (Rural Fringe setting); Bay Mills Community College is in Brimley, MI (Distant Rural setting).
  • Southwestern Michigan College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Bay Mills Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwestern Michigan College 17:1; Bay Mills Community College 10:1.

SMC vs. BMCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SMC or BMCC? 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 Bay Mills Community College than SMC ($5,307 vs. $6,684).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Michigan College are 17.2% lower than at Bay Mills Community College ($10,825 vs. $13,072).
  • Southwestern Michigan College is 126% more expensive for in-state tuition than BMCC (about $4,384 more per year; $7,864.00 vs. $3,480.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 141.2% higher at SMC than at Bay Mills Community College (about $4,914 more per year; $8,394.00 vs. $3,480.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bay Mills Community College than at Southwestern Michigan College (95% vs. 94%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Michigan College students is 30.8% larger than aid received by Bay Mills Community College students ($8,166 vs. $6,242).

SMC vs. BMCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SMC or BMCC? 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 BMCC 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; BMCC - Open admission.

SMC vs. BMCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SMC and BMCC? 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 Southwestern Michigan College earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than BMCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,600 vs. $25,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.