Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, CA · Public · Small city · SMC
Public institution in Santa Monica, CA · 21,194 undergraduates · $42,193 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 0%In-state tuition & fees
- Top 2%Average net price
- Top 2%Cost of attendance
- Top 2%Median graduate debt
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $3,60039th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $1,1567th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $9,316219th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $11,35343rd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $6,45030th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $42,1931,513th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $31,9771,696th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 35.8%1,626th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 0.0%1,837th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 21,194104th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 27.0:12,102nd smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 26.3%1,407th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 6 mi (LAX)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 1 of 1 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual and Performing Arts, OtherVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1929source
- Athletic nickname: "Corsairs"source
- School colors: Blue and Whitesource
- Mascot: Pico the Corsairsource
- Motto: "(Latin)"source
- Campus size: about 38 acressource
- Formerly known as "Santa Monica Junior College"source
- Formerly known as "(1929–1945)"source
- Formerly known as "Santa Monica City College"source
- Formerly known as "(1945–1970)"source
- Athletic conference: CCCAAsource
- Notable alum: Muhammad Alisource
- Notable alum: Arnold Schwarzeneggersource
- Notable alum: James Deansource
- Notable alum: Dustin Hoffmansource
- Notable alum: Sean Pennsource
Athletics — 12 sports
CCCAA · Other
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Swimming and Diving (combined)
- Tennis
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitesmc.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 122977)
- Compare colleges in CARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in CaliforniaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Santa Monica College vs California State University-FresnoHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.