ARC vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

Compare American River College in Sacramento, CA with Palomar College in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

American River College is larger than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (30,462 students vs. 19,550 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• American River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large Suburban setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• American River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: American River College 29:1; Palomar College 25:1.

ARC vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ARC or Palomar College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palomar College than ARC ($8,372 vs. $9,488).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American River College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,086 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 5.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ARC (about $66 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at ARC than at Palomar College (about $1,966 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at American River College than at Palomar College (89% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by American River College students is 9.7% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,456 vs. $4,972).

ARC vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ARC or Palomar College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Palomar College and ARC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ARC - Open admission; Palomar College - Open admission.

ARC vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ARC and Palomar College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Palomar College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than ARC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $36,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $5,233 lower median loan debt than ARC graduates ($7,000 vs. $12,233).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $54 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ARC graduates ($72 vs. $126).
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ARC students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.