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MiraCosta College Mt. SAC San Diego Miramar College East Los Angeles College Cerritos College Mt. San Jacinto CCD San Diego Mesa College Pasadena City College Fullerton College Grossmont College Citrus College Long Beach City College| Palomar College | Rio Hondo College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
| Location | San Marcos, CA | Whittier, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 17,655 | 16,139 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | palomar.edu | riohondo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $1,316 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $10,584 | $9,812 | ||
| Room & Board | $22,338 | $17,782 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $8,476 | $6,099 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,896 | $5,037 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 80% | 80% |
Admission |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | - | ||
| Admitted | - | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | Open | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | ||||
| SAT Range | ||||
| Submit Test Scores | ||||
| Application Deadline | Aug 20, 2025 |
Academics |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 29:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $38,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 30% | 34% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,000 | N/A | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $72 | N/A |
Diversity |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 58% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 40% | 8% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 77% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 1% | ||
| % International | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 94% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Palomar College | RHC | ||
| Campus Housing | No | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Palomar College is larger than than RHC based on total student enrollment (17,655 students vs. 16,139 students)
Palomar College vs. RHC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or RHC?
- Rio Hondo College is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Palomar College for in-state tuition ($1,316.00 vs. $1,288.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at Palomar College than Rio Hondo College ($10,584.00 vs. $9,812.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rio Hondo College than Palomar College ($6,099 vs. $8,476)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rio Hondo College are 25.6% lower than costs at Palomar College ($17,782 vs. $22,338)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Palomar College as Rio Hondo College (80% vs. 80%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 17.1% larger than aid received Rio Hondo College ($5,896 vs. $5,037)
Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or RHC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RHC or Palomar College .
Palomar College vs. RHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Palomar College or RHC? 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 RHC and Palomar College.
- Graduates from Palomar College earn on average $1,200 more per year than RHC graduates after ten years. ($39,700 vs. $38,500)
- More RHC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (34% vs. 30%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/