Long Beach City College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

Compare Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA with Palomar College in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Long Beach City College is larger than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (24,985 students vs. 19,550 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Long Beach City College is located in Long Beach, CA (Large City setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• Long Beach City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Long Beach City College 29:1; Palomar College 25:1.

Long Beach City College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Long Beach City College 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 Long Beach City College than Palomar College ($7,565 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Long Beach City College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,086 vs. $25,804).
• Long Beach City College is 14.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $202 more per year; $1,556.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.8% higher at Long Beach City College than at Palomar College (about $1,894 more per year; $12,544.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Long Beach City College than at Palomar College (91% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Long Beach City College students is 26.7% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($6,299 vs. $4,972).

Long Beach City College vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Long Beach City College 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 Long Beach City College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Long Beach City College - Open admission; Palomar College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Long Beach City College Aug 17, 2027.

Long Beach City College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Long Beach City College 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 Palomar College earn a median of about $6,900 more per year than Long Beach City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $32,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Long Beach City College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 24%)

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.