DVC vs. SMC

Diablo Valley College and Santa Monica College side by side on admissions, cost, and outcomes, from public data.

Diablo Valley College
Santa Monica College

At a glance

  • Cheaper after aid: SMC. Average net price is $5,685 vs $11,001 at DVC.
  • Earnings 10 years out: DVC $44,800 vs SMC $39,000 (median).
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Key differences

Diablo Valley College Santa Monica College
Acceptance rate
DVC-
SMC-
SAT range (middle 50%)
DVC-
SMC-
Average net price
SMC $5,316 less
DVC$11,001
SMC$5,685
In-state tuition
SMC $156 less
DVC$1,312
SMC$1,156
Out-of-state tuition
DVC $388 less
DVC$10,320
SMC$10,708
Graduation rate
DVC-
SMC-
Median earnings (10 years)
DVC +$5,800
DVC$44,800
SMC$39,000

Sources: IPEDS and College Scorecard.

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  • Applied
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance rate
  • DVC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Yield (share of admitted who enroll)
  • DVC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • Average high school GPA
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Typical high school grades
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions standards
  • DVC Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant competition
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • SAT range
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • ACT range
  • DVC
  • SMC
  • Submit test scores
  • DVC Open admission
  • SMC Open admission
  • Application deadline
  • DVC
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027
  • Tuition (in state)
  • DVC $1,312
  • SMC $1,156
  • Tuition (out of state)
  • DVC $10,320
  • SMC $10,708
  • Room & board
  • DVC $23,238
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average net price
  • DVC $11,001
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average grant aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • SMC $5,540
  • % receiving grant aid
  • DVC 61%
  • SMC 64%
  • Graduation rate
  • DVC -
  • SMC -
  • Median earnings (after 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making student loan payments
  • DVC 52%
  • SMC 45%
  • Median student loan debt
  • DVC N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median loan payment
  • DVC N/A
  • SMC $67
  • Student to faculty ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)
  • Location
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • SMC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National ranking
  • DVC
  • SMC

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Santa Monica College is larger than DVC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 17,228 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

Cost details

  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Diablo Valley College are 10.3% lower than at Santa Monica College ($23,238 vs. $25,908).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.8% higher at SMC than at Diablo Valley College (about $388 more per year; $10,708 vs. $10,320).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Monica College than at Diablo Valley College (64% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Monica College students is 24.7% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($5,540 vs. $4,441).

Admissions details

  • SAT or ACT scores are open admission at both DVC and SMC.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SMC Aug 30, 2027.

Loans and repayment

  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMC students, three years after graduation (52% vs. 45%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.

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