Mission College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

Compare Mission College in Santa Clara, CA with Palomar College in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Palomar College is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mission College is located in Santa Clara, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• Mission College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mission College 26:1; Palomar College 25:1.

Mission College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mission 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 Mission College than Palomar College ($7,646 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palomar College are 27% lower than at Mission College ($25,804 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 6.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $84 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.4% higher at Mission College than at Palomar College (about $1,850 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palomar College than at Mission College (81% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 3.2% larger than aid received by Mission College students ($4,972 vs. $4,820).

Mission College vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mission 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 Mission College.

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

Mission College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mission 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 Mission College earn a median of about $2,300 more per year than Palomar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $39,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 30%)

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.