Palomar College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Palomar College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or CSM? 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 College of San Mateo than Palomar College ($5,831 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palomar College are 17.5% lower than at College of San Mateo ($25,804 vs. $31,288).
• Palomar College is 1.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $22 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.9% higher at CSM than at Palomar College (about $734 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palomar College than at College of San Mateo (81% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 13.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($4,972 vs. $4,386).

Palomar College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or CSM? 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 CSM 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; CSM - Open admission.

Palomar College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and CSM? 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 College of San Mateo earn a median of about $5,100 more per year than Palomar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $39,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo and Palomar College graduates have the same median loan debt ($7,000 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, College of San Mateo and Palomar College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($72 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (58% 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.