CCC vs. Palomar College

Deciding between Contra Costa College and Palomar College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Palomar College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • CCC San Pablo, CA
  • Palomar College San Marcos, CA
  • Setting
  • CCC Large Suburban
  • Palomar College Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • CCC 6,538
  • Palomar College 19,550
  • Type
  • CCC Public 2 Year
  • Palomar College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Status
  • CCC Non-profit
  • Palomar College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • CCC
  • Palomar College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • CCC $1,312
  • Palomar College $1,354
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • CCC $10,320
  • Palomar College $10,650
  • Room & Board
  • CCC $23,238
  • Palomar College $25,804
  • Average Net Price
  • CCC $11,384
  • Palomar College $8,372
  • Average Grant Aid
  • CCC $5,652
  • Palomar College $4,972
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • CCC 84%
  • Palomar College 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Admitted
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • CCC Open
  • Palomar College Open
  • Enrolled
  • CCC Open
  • Palomar College Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • Typical ACT score
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • Average High School GPA
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • CCC Unavailable
  • Palomar College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • ACT Range
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • SAT Range
  • CCC
  • Palomar College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • CCC Open admission
  • Palomar College Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • CCC
  • Palomar College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • CCC 22:1
  • Palomar College 25:1
  • Popular Majors
  • CCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
    • Health Professions (15%)
    • General Studies (11%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Palomar College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • General Studies (7%)
    • Business (6%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • CCC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • CCC $37,000
  • Palomar College $39,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • CCC 28%
  • Palomar College 30%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • CCC N/A
  • Palomar College $7,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • CCC N/A
  • Palomar College $72

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • CCC 40%
  • Palomar College 54%
  • % Women
  • CCC 60%
  • Palomar College 46%
  • Racial Diversity
  • CCC Very High
  • Palomar College High
  • HBCU
  • CCC No
  • Palomar College No
  • % White
  • CCC 10%
  • Palomar College 40%
  • % Asian
  • CCC 19%
  • Palomar College 6%
  • % Black
  • CCC 21%
  • Palomar College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • CCC 39%
  • Palomar College 40%
  • % Native American
  • CCC 0%
  • Palomar College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • CCC 1%
  • Palomar College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • CCC 6%
  • Palomar College 5%
  • % International
  • CCC 3%
  • Palomar College 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • CCC 1%
  • Palomar College 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • CCC 92%
  • Palomar College 97%
  • % Out-of-State
  • CCC 0%
  • Palomar College 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • CCC No
  • Palomar College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • CCC No
  • Palomar College No
  • Meal Plan
  • CCC No
  • Palomar College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • CCC Yes
  • Palomar College No
  • Daycare Facility
  • CCC Yes
  • Palomar College Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Contra Costa College in San Pablo, 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 CCC based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 6,538 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Contra Costa College is located in San Pablo, CA (Large Suburban setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
  • Contra Costa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Contra Costa College 22:1; Palomar College 25:1.

CCC vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCC 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 CCC ($8,372 vs. $11,384).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Contra Costa College are 9.9% lower than at Palomar College ($23,238 vs. $25,804).
  • Palomar College is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCC (about $42 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,312.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.2% higher at Palomar College than at Contra Costa College (about $330 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Contra Costa College than at Palomar College (84% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Contra Costa College students is 13.7% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,652 vs. $4,972).

CCC vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCC 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 CCC.

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

CCC vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCC 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 $2,700 more per year than CCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCC students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 28%)

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.