Side-by-side
Santa Monica College vs University of the People
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Same u campus feel and a comparable size (21k undergrads vs 23k undergrads) — students often consider these side-by-side.
| Santa Monica College | University of the People | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | — | — |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $1,156 | $1,400 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $10,708 | $1,400 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $1,156 | $1,400 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $10,708 | $1,400 |
| Graduation rate | 36% | 35% |
| Total enrollment | 21,440 | 22,688 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/santa-monica-college-vs-university-of-the-people.