Santa Monica College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Santa Monica College charges a net price of $2,779/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $5,558. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,193, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Santa Monica College does not clear its cost — it ranks #154 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $2,779/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $5,558 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,193 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,167/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,450 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$128,898 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Santa Monica College's own numbers. Net price $2,779 × 2 years = $5,558 total. Median earnings $42,193 fall $6,167 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $5,558 bill in about 0.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Santa Monica College students graduate with?
A median $6,450 in federal loans among completers, or 15% of the $42,193 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Santa Monica College students graduate?
36% finish their degree — 64% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $5,558 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $15,439 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Santa Monica College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $2,779 net price runs $17,126 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $34,252 less across the full degree.