How much does Santa Monica College tuition cost?
The 2025 tuition & fees of Santa Monica College is $1,156 for in-state and $10,708 for out-of-state students. SMC's tuition & fees has significantly risen this year (more than 10%).
Its tuition & fees is lower than the average tuition for 4-year, but associate colleges' tuition of $14,542 based on out-of-state tuition rate.
Based on the last year increase rate, The 2026 estimated tuition & fees at SMC is $1,156 for California residents and $12,308 for out-of-state students, a 14.9% increase compared to 2025's rate.
SMC 2025 Tuition & Fees
| Year | In-State | Out-of-State | 4-year, But Associate Colleges' Average |
|---|
| 2023-2024 | $1,156 |
$9,316 | $14,260 |
| 2024-2025 | $1,156 | $10,708 | $14,542 |
| Change % 2024-2025 | 0.00% | 14.94% | 1.98% |
| 2025-2026 Estimate | $1,156 | $12,308 | $14,830 |
How much do you actually pay at SMC?
The living costs at SMC is $30,170 when living off campus. The off-campus living costs increased by 90.73%.
The SMC's 2025 COA is $33,072 for in-state and $42,624 for out-of-state students. living.
52% of enrolled students have received grants or scholarships, and the average aid amount is $4,114. It could cover 38.42% of the full tuition amount.
After receiving the financial aid, the net price is $28,958 for in-state and $38,510 for out-of-state students..
Santa Monica College 2025 Cost of Attendance (COA) | Off-Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-State |
|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $1,156 | $10,708 |
|---|
| Room & Board | $25,908 |
|---|
| Personal Expenses | $4,262 |
|---|
| Books & Supplies | $1,746 |
|---|
| COA | $33,072 | $42,624 |
|---|
| COA with Financial Aid | $28,958 | $38,510 |
|---|
SMC 4-Years Tuition
How Much is SMC tuition for 4 years?
SMC's 4-years tuition is $4,624 for in-state and $46,427 for out-of-state students, based on current tuition and change rate.
SMC 4 Years Tuition & Fees Estimates
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $4,624 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $11,056 | $11,415 | $11,786 | $12,169 | $46,427 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $4,624 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $11,415 | $11,786 | $12,169 | $12,565 | $47,936 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $4,624 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $11,786 | $12,169 | $12,565 | $12,973 | $49,494 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $4,624 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $12,169 | $12,565 | $12,973 | $13,395 | $51,102 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $1,156 | $4,624 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $12,565 | $12,973 | $13,395 | $13,830 | $52,763 |
Net Price for 4 Years at SMC
Based on recent tuition increase rate, for the students who were admitted in Fall 2025, the estimated 4-years COA is $172,695 for California residents and $214,498 for out-of-state students.
SMC 4 Years COA
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $36,660 | $40,675 | $45,167 | $50,193 | $172,695 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $46,560 | $50,934 | $55,797 | $61,207 | $214,498 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $40,675 | $45,167 | $50,193 | $55,817 | $191,852 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $50,934 | $55,797 | $61,207 | $67,226 | $235,164 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $45,167 | $50,193 | $55,817 | $62,110 | $213,288 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $55,797 | $61,207 | $67,226 | $73,928 | $258,158 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $50,193 | $55,817 | $62,110 | $69,152 | $237,273 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $61,207 | $67,226 | $73,928 | $81,391 | $283,751 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $55,817 | $62,110 | $69,152 | $77,031 | $264,110 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $67,226 | $73,928 | $81,391 | $89,705 | $312,249 |
Actual COA after Receiving Financial Aid
After receiving the financial aid, the net price for 4 years of attending the school is $156,239 for California residents and $198,042 for out-of-state students.
SMC 4 Years COA after Receiving Financial Aid
| Residency | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total |
|---|
| Class of 2029 (Entering Fall 2025) | In-State | $32,546 | $36,561 | $41,053 | $46,079 | $156,239 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $42,446 | $46,820 | $51,683 | $57,093 | $198,042 |
| Class of 2030 (Entering Fall 2026) | In-State | $36,561 | $41,053 | $46,079 | $51,703 | $175,396 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $46,820 | $51,683 | $57,093 | $63,112 | $218,708 |
| Class of 2031 (Entering Fall 2027) | In-State | $41,053 | $46,079 | $51,703 | $57,996 | $196,832 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $51,683 | $57,093 | $63,112 | $69,814 | $241,702 |
| Class of 2032 (Entering Fall 2028) | In-State | $46,079 | $51,703 | $57,996 | $65,038 | $220,817 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $57,093 | $63,112 | $69,814 | $77,277 | $267,295 |
| Class of 2033 (Entering Fall 2029) | In-State | $51,703 | $57,996 | $65,038 | $72,917 | $247,654 |
|---|
| Out-of-State | $63,112 | $69,814 | $77,277 | $85,591 | $295,793 |
Tuition Per Credit Hour
For part-time and/or full-time students who take additional credits at SMC is $46 for California residents and $444 for out-of-state students.
Per Credit Hour Charge at SMC
| Year | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|
| Undergraduate | 2023-2024 | $46 | $386 |
|---|
| 2024-2025 | $46 | $444 |
|---|
| 2025-2026 (Estimate) | $46 | $511 |
|---|
SMC Tuition Charts
The following charts visualize tuition, fees, living costs, and other expenses at SMC. You can enlarge the chart to view detailed information.
Compare Tuition with Similar Colleges
The following table compares tuition & fees between Santa Monica College and its similar schools.
Tuition Comparison between SMC and Similar Colleges
| In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|
| Santa Monica College | $1,156 | $10,708 |
|---|
| University of California-Los Angeles | $14,233 | $46,121 |
|---|
| University of California-Berkeley | $15,377 | $47,265 |
|---|
| University of California-San Diego | $15,788 | $47,676 |
|---|
| California State University-Fullerton | $7,470 | $20,070 |
|---|
| California State University-Long Beach | $7,374 | $19,974 |
|---|
SMC Tuition Frequently Asked Questions
For the academic year 2024-2025, the undergraduate tuition & fees at SMC are $1,156 for California residents and $10,708 for out-of-state students.
The total cost of attendance (COA) at SMC for the academic year 2024-2025 includes tuition & fees, books & supplies, and living expenses. For in-state students, the estimated COA is $2,902 and $12,454 for out-of-state students. Actual costs may vary depending on housing choices and personal expenses.
It has been stayed same for California residents and increased by 14.94% for out-of-state rates compared to the previous year.
52% of SMC undergraduates receive grants or scholarships, with an average aid amount of $4,114 per student. Additional financial aid options are available through SMC's financial aid office.
In-State (California Residents): The projected 4-year cost for a degree is approximately $172,695, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, and other expenses. The tuition and fees alone are approximately $1,156 per year, which would total around $4,624 over four years. Out-of-State: The projected 4-year cost for a degree is approximately $214,498. The tuition and fees are around $12,169 per year, totaling about $46,427 over four years.
SMC charges $46 per credit hour for in-state undergraduates and $444 for out-of-state undergraduates.
The in-state undergraduate tuition at SMC is much lower than the average for similar schools ($4,348 - public Associate's - Private For-profit 4-year Primarily Associate's).The out-of-state undergraduate tuition at SMC is a little bit higher than the average for similar schools ($9,980 - public Associate's - Private For-profit 4-year Primarily Associate's).The in-state graduate tuition at SMC is much lower than the average for similar schools ($11,965 - public Associate's - Private For-profit 4-year Primarily Associate's).The out-of-state graduate tuition at SMC is much lower than the average for similar schools ($20,932 - public Associate's - Private For-profit 4-year Primarily Associate's).