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MiraCosta College Cal State Fullerton San Diego Miramar College San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus Mt. San Jacinto CCD California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego Mesa College San Diego State Cal State LA Grossmont College California State Polytechnic University-Pomona| Palomar College | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 18,815 | 15,431 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #833 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | palomar.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $10,584 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $23,076 | $14,152 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,951 | $10,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,777 | $10,247 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 72% |
Admission |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 17,519 | ||
| Admitted | - | 16,765 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | 95.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/22 | |||
| SAT Range | 950/1130 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 30% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,000 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $72 | $186 |
Diversity |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % In-State | 91% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Palomar College | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Palomar College is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (18,815 students vs. 15,431 students)
Palomar College vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or California State University-San Marcos?
- California State University San Marcos is 345.8% more expensive to attend than Palomar College for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $1,288.00)
- Out of state tuition is 66.5% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Palomar College ($17,622.00 vs. $10,584.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palomar College than California State University-San Marcos ($7,951 vs. $10,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 63.1% lower than costs at Palomar College ($14,152 vs. $23,076)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Palomar College than California State University San Marcos (78% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 114.5% larger than aid received Palomar College ($10,247 vs. $4,777)
Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or California State University-San Marcos? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-San Marcos or Palomar College .
Palomar College vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Palomar College or California State University-San Marcos? 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 California State University-San Marcos and Palomar College.
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $9,400 more per year than Palomar College graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $39,700)
- Palomar College students graduate with a $10,995 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($7,000 vs. $17,995)
- Palomar College graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($72 vs. $186)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 30%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/