El Paso Community College vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Paso Community College in El Paso, TX with Palo Alto College in San Antonio, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Paso Community College is larger than Palo Alto College based on total student enrollment (25,567 students vs. 12,395 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Paso Community College is located in El Paso, TX (Large City setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• El Paso Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Paso Community College 21:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

El Paso Community College vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, El Paso Community College 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 El Paso Community College than Palo Alto College ($3,077 vs. $4,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Paso Community College are 28.6% lower than at Palo Alto College ($10,179 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 35.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than El Paso Community College (about $1,462 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,080.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 50.1% higher at Palo Alto College than at El Paso Community College (about $3,322 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $6,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at El Paso Community College (92% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Paso Community College students is 41.4% larger than aid received by Palo Alto College students ($9,875 vs. $6,983).

El Paso Community College vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, El Paso Community College 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 El Paso Community College.

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

El Paso Community College vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for El Paso Community College 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 Palo Alto College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than El Paso Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($31,800 vs. $30,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $1,002 lower median loan debt than El Paso Community College graduates ($5,500 vs. $6,502).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than El Paso Community College graduates ($56 vs. $67).
• More El Paso Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palo Alto College students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 38%)

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.