Palomar College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 2,318 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is in Visalia, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; San Joaquin Valley College Visalia 28:1.

Palomar College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia ($8,372 vs. $27,525).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia are 66% lower than at Palomar College ($8,764 vs. $25,804).
• San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is 1,126.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $15,252 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 55.9% higher at San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia than at Palomar College (about $5,956 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia than at Palomar College (85% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Joaquin Valley College Visalia students is 9.2% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,430 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia 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; San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia - Open admission.

Palomar College vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 $7,600 more per year than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $32,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $8,800 lower median loan debt than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates ($7,000 vs. $15,800).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $91 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates ($72 vs. $163).
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia 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.