Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Santa Monica College at a Glance
Santa Monica College (SMC) is a public community college in Santa Monica, California. Founded as a junior college in 1929, SMC enrolls over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study. The college initially served pre-college high school students, eventually expanding its enrollment to educate college-age and non-traditional students with the intention to transfer to a four-year university. The college has high transfer rates to four-year universities, such as the University of California an…
1929
97 years old
$559M
$559.2 million (2021–2022)
39,097
2,023
38 acres
Identity
Is Santa Monica College Worth It?
Santa Monica College is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $2,779/year net price and $42,193 median earnings, graduates earn 15.2× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.3 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 36% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 4 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
Median student debt of $6,450 is manageable at just 15% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
Bottom line: Santa Monica College delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How Santa Monica College compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in CA
Ranked #1 of 97 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Santa Monica College | 100 | $2,779 | $42,193 |
| #2 | Modesto Junior College | 100 | $2,818 | $42,368 |
| #3 | Santa Ana College | 100 | $3,133 | $43,552 |
| #4 | Indian River State College | 100 | $3,815 | $38,315 |
| #5 | St Petersburg College | 100 | $1,471 | $42,557 |
| #6 | Henry Ford College | 100 | $660 | $34,795 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of Santa Monica College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 10 in CA.
Best Programs at Santa Monica College
Program-level earnings data isn't available for Santa Monica College. When evaluating whether to attend, research outcomes for your specific major using the Department of Education's College Scorecard or ask the admissions office for placement rates.
As a general rule: STEM, nursing, accounting, and computer science programs tend to deliver the strongest ROI regardless of institution. Humanities and arts programs can still be worthwhile, but require more intentional career planning to achieve financial payoff.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $2,779/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Similar Colleges in CA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- Santa Monica, CA
- Student Body
- 21,440 students
- Graduation Rate
- 36%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $2,779
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $42,193
- Median Student Debt
- $6,450