Palomar College vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

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

Sacramento City College is larger than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 19,550 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Sacramento City College is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sacramento City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Sacramento City College 26:1.

Palomar College vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Sac City? 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 Sac City ($8,372 vs. $8,624).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,086 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 5.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sac City (about $66 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at Sac City than at Palomar College (about $1,966 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at Palomar College (90% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacramento City College students is 24.5% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($6,192 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Sac City? 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 $700 more per year than Sac City graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $3,500 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($7,000 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($72 vs. $108).
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 29%)

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.