Palomar College vs. Berkeley City College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Berkeley City College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 6,278 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Berkeley City College is in Berkeley, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Berkeley City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Berkeley City College 33:1.

Palomar College vs. Berkeley City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Berkeley City 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 Palomar College than Berkeley City College ($8,372 vs. $12,695).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berkeley City College are 11.6% lower than at Palomar College ($22,820 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 7.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Berkeley City College (about $96 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.6% higher at Palomar College than at Berkeley City College (about $752 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palomar College than at Berkeley City College (81% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Berkeley City College students is 9.1% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,422 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Berkeley City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or Berkeley City 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 Berkeley City College and Palomar College.

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

Palomar College vs. Berkeley City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Berkeley City 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 $1,500 more per year than Berkeley City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $38,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Berkeley City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (35% 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.