HCC vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

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

Houston Community College is larger than Palo Alto College based on total student enrollment (53,253 students vs. 12,395 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Houston Community College is located in Houston, TX (Large City setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• Houston 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: Houston Community College 23:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

HCC vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HCC 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 Palo Alto College than HCC ($4,805 vs. $5,734).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houston Community College are 34.5% lower than at Palo Alto College ($9,330 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 27.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than HCC (about $1,198 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,344.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 82.3% higher at Palo Alto College than at Houston Community College (about $4,492 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $5,460.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at Houston Community College (92% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palo Alto College students is 3.2% larger than aid received by Houston Community College students ($6,983 vs. $6,768).

HCC vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HCC 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 HCC.

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

HCC vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HCC 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 Houston Community College earn a median of about $6,400 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than HCC graduates ($5,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HCC graduates ($56 vs. $108).
• More Palo Alto College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HCC students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 25%)

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.