Santa Monica College

Santa Monica, CA 21,440 Undergrads 28.0% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$11,162

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$2,779

After Aid

Median Earnings

$46,731

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$2,779

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$46,731

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate28.0%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients27.4%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time43.4%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS52.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$500k

-$15k

+$16k

Median Cost$3k/yr

+$495k

-$21k

+$11k

Full Cost$11k/yr

+$480k

-$36k

-$5k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$3k/yr

208%

Full Cost$11k/yr

Never

-23%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return84%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-5%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Accounting and Related Services

CertCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,589

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Programming

CertCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,556

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

CertCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,116

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

CertCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,337

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

AssocCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,269

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Anthropology

AssocCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,638

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Apparel and Textiles

AssocCIP: 1909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,422

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1002

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $35,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Physical Sciences

AssocCIP: 3001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,181

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$49,091

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

+$34k

Communication and Media Studies

AssocCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$29,371

Natl Median: $43,243

Lifetime Value Added

-$165k

Computer Programming

AssocCIP: 1102

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,070

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

AssocCIP: 1107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,283

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services

AssocCIP: 1204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $27,014

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Dance

AssocCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $30,547

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications

AssocCIP: 1106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,480

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

AssocCIP: 5005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,773

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

AssocCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $33,186

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

AssocCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,650

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1905

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,400

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

AssocCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,052

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

AssocCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Business

AssocCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,207

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Journalism

AssocCIP: 0904

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,496

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$46,864

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

+$12k

Music

AssocCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,056

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

AssocCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,147

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

AssocCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,074

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$95,831

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$463k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Visual and Performing Arts, General

AssocCIP: 5001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $32,799

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Visual and Performing Arts, Other

BachCIP: 5099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,629

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.