LTCC vs. SMC

Deciding between Lake Tahoe Community College and Santa Monica College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,500 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Santa Monica College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • LTCC South Lake Tahoe, CA
  • SMC Santa Monica, CA
  • Setting
  • LTCC Distant Town
  • SMC Small City
  • Enrollment
  • LTCC 4,040
  • SMC 23,453
  • Type
  • LTCC Public 2 Year
  • SMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Status
  • LTCC Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • LTCC
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • LTCC $15
  • SMC $52
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • LTCC $15
  • SMC $52
  • Room & Board
  • LTCC $13,425
  • SMC $25,908
  • Average Net Price
  • LTCC $11,799
  • SMC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • LTCC $5,863
  • SMC $5,540
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • LTCC 64%
  • SMC 64%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Admitted
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • LTCC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • LTCC Open
  • SMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • LTCC Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • LTCC
  • SMC
  • Application Deadline
  • LTCC
  • SMC Aug 30, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • LTCC 25:1
  • SMC 27:1
  • Popular Majors
  • LTCC
    • General Studies (22%)
    • Social Sciences (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (69%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • LTCC -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • LTCC $31,100
  • SMC $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • LTCC -
  • SMC 45%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • LTCC N/A
  • SMC $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • LTCC N/A
  • SMC $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • LTCC 5%
  • SMC 4%
  • % Women
  • LTCC 5%
  • SMC 4%
  • Racial Diversity
  • LTCC High
  • SMC Very High
  • HBCU
  • LTCC No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • LTCC 58%
  • SMC 26%
  • % Asian
  • LTCC 4%
  • SMC 10%
  • % Black
  • LTCC 3%
  • SMC 9%
  • % Hispanic
  • LTCC 27%
  • SMC 38%
  • % Native American
  • LTCC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • LTCC 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • LTCC 4%
  • SMC 4%
  • % International
  • LTCC 2%
  • SMC 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • LTCC 2%
  • SMC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • LTCC 94%
  • SMC 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • LTCC 4%
  • SMC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, CA with Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Monica College is larger than LTCC based on total student enrollment (23,453 students vs. 4,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Lake Tahoe Community College is located in South Lake Tahoe, CA (Distant Town setting); Santa Monica College is in Santa Monica, CA (Small City setting).
  • Lake Tahoe Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Monica College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Lake Tahoe Community College 25:1; Santa Monica College 27:1.

LTCC vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LTCC or SMC? 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 Santa Monica College than LTCC ($5,685 vs. $11,799).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Tahoe Community College are 48.2% lower than at Santa Monica College ($13,425 vs. $25,908).
  • Santa Monica College is 246.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than LTCC (about $37 more per year; $52.00 vs. $15.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 246.7% higher at SMC than at Lake Tahoe Community College (about $37 more per year; $52.00 vs. $15.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Lake Tahoe Community College as at Santa Monica College (64% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Tahoe Community College students is 5.8% larger than aid received by Santa Monica College students ($5,863 vs. $5,540).

LTCC vs. SMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LTCC or SMC? 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 SMC and LTCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SMC Aug 30, 2027.

LTCC vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LTCC and SMC? 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 Santa Monica College earn a median of about $7,900 more per year than LTCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $31,100), 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.