Lamar State College-Orange vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

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

Palo Alto College is larger than Lamar State College-Orange based on total student enrollment (12,395 students vs. 3,629 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lamar State College Orange is located in Orange, TX (Distant Town setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• Lamar State College Orange is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lamar State College Orange 23:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

Lamar State College-Orange vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lamar State College-Orange 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 Lamar State College Orange than Palo Alto College ($600 vs. $4,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lamar State College Orange are 33.4% lower than at Palo Alto College ($9,486 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 56.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Lamar State College-Orange (about $2,002 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $3,540.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 73.6% higher at Lamar State College-Orange than at Palo Alto College (about $7,328 more per year; $17,280.00 vs. $9,952.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at Lamar State College Orange (92% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palo Alto College students is 10.8% larger than aid received by Lamar State College Orange students ($6,983 vs. $6,302).

Lamar State College-Orange vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lamar State College-Orange 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 Lamar State College-Orange.

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

Lamar State College-Orange vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lamar State College-Orange 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 Lamar State College Orange earn a median of about $500 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,300 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $6,000 lower median loan debt than Lamar State College-Orange graduates ($5,500 vs. $11,500).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Lamar State College-Orange graduates ($56 vs. $118).
• More Palo Alto College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar State College-Orange students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 33%)

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.