COM vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Mainland in Texas City, TX with Palo Alto College in San Antonio, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Palo Alto College is larger than COM based on total student enrollment (12,395 students vs. 5,127 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Mainland is located in Texas City, TX (Small Suburban setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• College of the Mainland is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Mainland 18:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

COM vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, COM or Palo Alto 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 College of the Mainland than Palo Alto College ($3,252 vs. $4,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Mainland are 56.2% lower than at Palo Alto College ($6,236 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 60.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than COM (about $2,092 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $3,450.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 140.4% higher at Palo Alto College than at College of the Mainland (about $5,812 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $4,140.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at College of the Mainland (92% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palo Alto College students is 34.5% larger than aid received by College of the Mainland students ($6,983 vs. $5,191).

COM vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, COM or Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto College and COM.

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

COM vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for COM and Palo Alto 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 College of the Mainland earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,600 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $1,724 lower median loan debt than COM graduates ($5,500 vs. $7,224).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than COM graduates ($56 vs. $74).
• More Palo Alto College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former COM students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 31%)

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.