Palomar College vs. Porterville College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Porterville College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 4,784 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Palomar College vs. Porterville College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Porterville 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 Porterville College ($8,372 vs. $14,733).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Porterville College are 6.2% lower than at Palomar College ($24,192 vs. $25,804).
• Porterville 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 6.2% higher at Porterville College than at Palomar College (about $658 more per year; $11,308.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Porterville College than at Palomar College (94% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Porterville College students is 39.6% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($6,940 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Porterville College Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Porterville College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Porterville 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 $8,000 more per year than Porterville College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.