Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, CA · Public
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See the full analysis — freeCost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $12,504/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $10,708 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $1,796 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $12,504/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $1,896 |
| $30k–48k | $2,442 |
| $48k–75k | $4,440 |
| $75k–110k | $7,087 |
| Over $110k | $8,395 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- SMC Foundation Scholarships — $250 - $50,000 (Other)
- Santa Monica College Promise — Varies (Other)
International applicants
Some aid available for internationals.
- SMC Foundation Scholarships — $250 - $50,000 (Other)
- Santa Monica College Promise — Varies (Other)
Santa Monica College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Online Application (CCCApply)
International applicants
- Online Application (CCCApply)
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Santa Monica College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
Santa Monica College requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Other state system member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $42,193
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 36.3%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 65%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $6,450
- At graduation
Santa Monica College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- WSJ: #528
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Interdisciplinary studies (11%), Business & marketing (9%), Visual & performing arts (6%).
Student–faculty ratio: 24:1 · 48% of class sections have under 20 students.
Santa Monica College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.