Paying for SMC
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
$10,708 ($1,156)
Off-campus Living Costs
$30,170
Undergraduate Tuition per Credit Hour
$444 ($46)
The 2025 tuition & fees of Santa Monica College are $1,156 for California residents and $10,708 for out-of-state students. Compared to Public, 4-Years Colleges in California, its tuition & fees are inexpensive (average tuition: $20,072).
Compared to similar schools in rankings such as Antelope Valley Community College District and Bakersfield College, tuition & fees of Santa Monica College is average where the average tuition & fees of the schools are $10,591.
The average living cost of the school is $30,170 when a student lives off-campus.
*Data Source: 2024-2025 Tuition & Fees - NCES (Last Update: 6/05/2025)
2025 Tuition and Comparison Chart
The following chart visualizes the SMC's 2025 tuition & fees and compares to similar schools by school type, level, and location.
2025 Tuition & fees
The 2025 undergraduate tuition & fees at Santa Monica College are $1,156 for California residents and $10,708 for out-of-state students. The undergraduate tuition & fees have increased by 14.94% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Tuition | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $9,000 | $44 |
| 2022 | $9,048 | $42 |
| 2023 | $9,048 | $46 |
| 2024 | $9,264 | $52 |
| 2025 | $10,656 | $52 |
Living Costs
The 2025 average living cost is $30,170 including room & board and other living expenses.
The living cost at the school has increased by 90.73% from last year.
The following table and chart show the living costs changes over the last 5 years.
| Year | Room & Board | Other Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $11,556 | $4,262 |
| 2022 | $11,556 | $4,262 |
| 2023 | $11,556 | $4,262 |
| 2024 | $11,556 | $4,262 |
| 2025 | $25,908 | $4,262 |
Books & Supplies Costs Trends Chart
The 2025 average cost for purchasing books & supplies is $1,746 at Santa Monica College. The books & supplies cost stays same as last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 books & supplies costs and the trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Books & Supplies Costs |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,746 |
| 2022 | $1,746 |
| 2023 | $1,746 |
| 2024 | $1,746 |
| 2025 | $1,746 |
Tuition Per Credit Hour
The 2025 undergraduate tuition per credit hour at Santa Monica College is $46 for California residents and $444 for out-of-state students. The undergraduate tuition per credit hour has increased by 15.03% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition per credit hour and its trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | California Residents | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $46 | $375 |
| 2022 | $46 | $377 |
| 2023 | $46 | $377 |
| 2024 | $46 | $386 |
| 2025 | $46 | $444 |