DVC vs. Palomar College

Deciding between Diablo Valley 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
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • Palomar College San Marcos, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • Palomar College Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • Palomar College 19,550
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • Palomar College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • DVC
  • Palomar College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • DVC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Status
  • DVC Non-profit
  • Palomar College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • DVC
  • Palomar College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • DVC $1,312
  • Palomar College $1,354
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • DVC $10,320
  • Palomar College $10,650
  • Room & Board
  • DVC $23,238
  • Palomar College $25,804
  • Average Net Price
  • DVC $11,001
  • Palomar College $8,372
  • Average Grant Aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • Palomar College $4,972
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • DVC 61%
  • Palomar College 81%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • Palomar College 25:1
  • Popular Majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Palomar College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • General Studies (7%)
    • Business (6%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • DVC -
  • Palomar College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • Palomar College $39,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • DVC 52%
  • Palomar College 30%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • DVC N/A
  • Palomar College $7,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • DVC N/A
  • Palomar College $72

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • DVC 49%
  • Palomar College 54%
  • % Women
  • DVC 51%
  • Palomar College 46%
  • Racial Diversity
  • DVC Very High
  • Palomar College High
  • HBCU
  • DVC No
  • Palomar College No
  • % White
  • DVC 38%
  • Palomar College 40%
  • % Asian
  • DVC 15%
  • Palomar College 6%
  • % Black
  • DVC 5%
  • Palomar College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • DVC 23%
  • Palomar College 40%
  • % Native American
  • DVC 0%
  • Palomar College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • DVC 0%
  • Palomar College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • DVC 8%
  • Palomar College 5%
  • % International
  • DVC 9%
  • Palomar College 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • DVC 1%
  • Palomar College 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • DVC 90%
  • Palomar College 97%
  • % Out-of-State
  • DVC 0%
  • Palomar College 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, 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 DVC based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 17,228 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

DVC vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC 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 DVC ($8,372 vs. $11,001).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Diablo Valley 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 DVC (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 Diablo Valley College (about $330 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palomar College than at Diablo Valley College (81% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 12% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($4,972 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC 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 DVC.

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

DVC vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC 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 Diablo Valley College earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Palomar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $39,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (52% 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.