Golden West College vs. Palo Verde College

Comparable Facts

Compare Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA with Palo Verde College in Blythe, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Palo Verde College is in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Verde College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Palo Verde College 22:1.

Golden West College vs. Palo Verde College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Palo Verde 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 Golden West College than Palo Verde College ($6,681 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 8.2% lower than at Palo Verde College ($23,659 vs. $25,767).
• Golden West College is 7.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palo Verde College (about $92 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.8% higher at Palo Verde College than at Golden West College (about $1,252 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $11,628.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at Golden West College (92% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 120.2% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($6,849 vs. $3,111).

Golden West College vs. Palo Verde College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or Palo Verde 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 Verde College and Golden West College.

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

Golden West College vs. Palo Verde College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Palo Verde 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 Golden West College earn a median of about $7,900 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $29,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.