Palomar College vs. Madera Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Madera Community College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 6,636 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Madera Community College is in Madera, California (Rural Fringe setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Madera Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Madera Community College 27:1.

Palomar College vs. Madera Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Madera Community 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 Madera Community College than Palomar College ($7,155 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Madera Community College are 30.3% lower than at Palomar College ($17,982 vs. $25,804).
• Madera Community College is 1.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $24 more per year; $1,378.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 23.3% higher at Palomar College than at Madera Community College (about $2,012 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $8,638.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Madera Community College than at Palomar College (94% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Madera Community College students is 71.2% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($8,512 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Madera Community College Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Madera Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Madera Community 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).

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.