Facts and Stats

SMC has transferred more students to UC campuses than any other college in the country — for 34 years straight. SMC is also tops in transfers to USC and LMU, and the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University. 

See transfer statistics: #1 Transfer Rate to UC, UCLA, USC, and LMU

SMC also has a great Cosmetology, Registered Nursing (NCLEX), and Respiratory Therapy (RBA) license exam rates.

SMC offers the same lower-division courses as UC, California State University, and other four-year campuses at a fraction of the cost. Students who start at SMC can save thousands of dollars while benefitting from rigorous smaller classes, personalized counseling, and great professors whose focus is teaching — not research. 

Cost for Average Summer Course*

It’s easy to figure out why SMC’s summer sessions are a great break for your budget:

• USC$6,394
• CSUN$1,215
• UCLA$1,090
• SMC$189

*Costs at CSUN and UCLA may be higher for students not currently enrolled or continuing at those schools. Costs include campus fees. High school students can enroll in summer classes at SMC for free.

Find Your Classes Today!

For more information on tuition and fees, visit Tuition & Fees.

Santa Monica College’s academic excellence is driven by professors with distinguished credentials, representing the best in their fields: award-winning artists, scholars, authors, scientists…you name it. They teach at SMC because they believe in the power of the student-teacher connection. 

Awards SMC Received

• Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education from the Institute of International Education
• Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from NAFSA Association of International Educators
• Silver Bike Friendly University Award
• SMC Film Program Awards
• State of California Department of Finance Award for Innovation in Higher Education
• U.S. Department of Commerce President’s “E” Award for Exports

More coming soon!

Counselors and staff in 55 offices and programs at SMC form the largest student support network in California to meet your needs, and ensure that you get to your goal of transfer or a career, ASAP. From the Veterans Success Center to Guardian Scholars, EOPS, Black Collegians, Latino Center, and many more — SMC is here to help you succeed. 

The breadth of choices at SMC is mind-blowing! From the liberal arts to STEM, accounting to film production, SMC’s career- and transfer-oriented programs rival the nation’s best universities. New courses are constantly being created, and career education courses are developed with direct input from industry advisors. In the past 10 years alone, SMC faculty crafted over 300 new courses in 58 subject areas, and the list keeps growing….

SMC’s 180+ career education degrees and certificates are the launchpad for your future. Through strong industry partnerships, exceptional faculty with professional expertise, and dynamic programs, we train our students to excel in their dream careers. From traditional fields like Business, Early Childhood Education, and Health Sciences to 21st-century fields like Computer Science and Information Systems, Technical Theatre, Sustainable Technologies, a Bachelor Degree in Interaction Design, and so much more!

SMC’s hallmark Emeritus Program offers free, specially designed classes and workshops to about 3,000 older adults. And there is a plethora of continuing education, professional development, and personal interest classes offered through SMC’s Community Education division. 

Around 70 student-run clubs are at Santa Monica College in any given year. Astronomy, jazz, ballroom dancing, robotics, agriculture — whatever their interest, students are bound to find other kindred souls on campus. SMC has 17 athletic teams that have won championships and produced renowned athletes and Olympians like Isaac Bruce, Lenny Krayzelburg, and Evan Lysacek. The Corsair, SMC's award-winning student newspaper, highlights stories of interest to the SMC community. The Associated Students of SMC is one of the most robust in California, and organizes a wide variety of events and activities in addition to representing student interests. AS members also benefit from discount tickets at College theatre productions and at selected local vendors, free Big Blue Bus ridership, study abroad opportunities, and much more. A truly global campus, SMC attracts over 3,000 international students from more than 110 countries. 

SMC offers hundreds of classes online, and is a leader among California Community Colleges for the sheer number and breadth of online courses. New in-demand classes are constantly being modified for online delivery. 

The Promo Pathway program for entertainment promotion/marketing production. The Science & Research Initiative for STEM careers and transfer. LA HI-TECH for current and future SMC students interested in high-demand Information and communications technology jobs. The Law School Pathways Project for those who want an edge when they apply to law school. All these — and many more in the works! — provide SMC students a fast track to highly-desired careers and universities. 

Santa Monica College’s beautiful campuses are a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean, the world-famous Santa Monica Beach, the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, and more. We’re located in the gorgeous city of Santa Monica — a top destination for tourists worldwide. Need we say more?