Pierce College vs. Palomar College

Should I go to Los Angeles Pierce College or Palomar College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Pierce College or Palomar College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

MiraCosta College Valley College Moorpark College San Diego Miramar College SMC Mt. San Jacinto CCD College of the Canyons San Diego Mesa College Los Angeles Mission College Grossmont College Pasadena City College GCC
Los Angeles Pierce College vs. Palomar College comparison
Los Angeles Pierce College Palomar College College 3 College 4
Los Angeles Pierce College Palomar College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Pierce College Palomar College
Location Woodland Hills, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 15,372 17,655
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piercecollege.edu palomar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pierce College Palomar College
Tuition (In State) $1,196 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,828 $10,584
Room & Board $17,784 $22,338
Avg Net Price $13,422 $8,476
Avg Grant Aid $7,154 $5,896
% Receiving Grant Aid 70% 80%

Admission

 Pierce College Palomar College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 Pierce College Palomar College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (60%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Pierce College Palomar College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,500 $7,000
Median Loan Payment $108 $72

Diversity

 Pierce College Palomar College
% Men 44% 53%
% Women 56% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 29% 40%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 47% 40%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Pierce College Palomar College
% In-State 94% 94%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Pierce College Palomar College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Palomar College is larger than than Pierce College based on total student enrollment (17,655 students vs. 15,372 students)

Pierce College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pierce College or Palomar College?

  • Palomar College is 7.7% more expensive to attend than Pierce College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,196.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Palomar College than Los Angeles Pierce College ($10,584.00 vs. $9,828.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palomar College than Pierce College ($8,476 vs. $13,422)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Los Angeles Pierce College are 25.6% lower than costs at Palomar College ($17,784 vs. $22,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palomar College than Los Angeles Pierce College (80% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Pierce College students is 21.3% larger than aid received Palomar College ($7,154 vs. $5,896)

Which college is harder to get into, Pierce College or Palomar College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Palomar College or Pierce College .

Pierce College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pierce College or Palomar College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Palomar College and Pierce College.

  • Graduates from Los Angeles Pierce College earn on average $100 more per year than Palomar College graduates after ten years. ($39,800 vs. $39,700)
  • Palomar College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Pierce College graduates. ($7,000 vs. $10,500)
  • Palomar College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Pierce College graduates. ($72 vs. $108)
  • More Pierce College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/