Butte College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Palomar College 25:1.

Butte College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College 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 Butte College ($8,372 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 30.7% lower than at Palomar College ($17,894 vs. $25,804).
• Butte College is 0.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $2 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.8% higher at Palomar College than at Butte College (about $1,374 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Palomar College (88% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 34.3% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($6,677 vs. $4,972).

Butte College vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Palomar College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Palomar College and Butte College.

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

Butte College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Palomar College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Palomar College earn a median of about $3,300 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $6,978 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($7,000 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($72 vs. $144).
• More Butte College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (32% vs. 30%)

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.