Santa Monica College

What are the graduation rates for students at Santa Monica College?

Santa Monica College's reported overall graduation rate is 36% in IPEDS 2024-25 data. The figure is a cohort-based completion measure, not the share of every student who eventually earns a credential or transfers to a university.

Graduation-rate definitions matter especially at a community college, where students may enroll part time, pause their studies or leave after meeting a transfer goal without receiving an SMC award. Reported four-year and six-year figures use measures that should not be treated as a simple, continuous timeline for the same group. Students comparing colleges should check the cohort and credential definition behind each rate and consider transfer outcomes alongside graduation.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Santa Monica College?

A single earnings figure would not accurately describe what Santa Monica College students can expect after leaving. Their outcomes differ by program and by whether they enter work with an SMC credential, transfer for a bachelor's degree or continue in another form of education.

Program-level earnings measures, when available, usually describe a defined group at a specified point after completion - not all former students and not a promised salary. They can exclude people without earnings records or have small reporting groups. A useful comparison pairs any earnings measure with its program, credential level, measurement date and employment context; students entering licensed professions should also examine licensing and placement information.