Palomar College vs. SAC

Deciding between Palomar College and Santa Ana College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Palomar College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Palomar College San Marcos, CA
  • SAC Santa Ana, CA
  • Setting
  • Palomar College Small City
  • SAC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Palomar College 19,550
  • SAC 27,248
  • Type
  • Palomar College Public 2 Year
  • SAC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Status
  • Palomar College Non-profit
  • SAC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Palomar College
  • SAC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Palomar College $1,354
  • SAC $1,180
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Palomar College $10,650
  • SAC $10,756
  • Room & Board
  • Palomar College $25,804
  • SAC $22,126
  • Average Net Price
  • Palomar College $8,372
  • SAC $5,894
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Palomar College $4,972
  • SAC $6,768
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Palomar College 81%
  • SAC 89%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Admitted
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Palomar College Open
  • SAC Open
  • Enrolled
  • Palomar College Open
  • SAC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Palomar College Unavailable
  • SAC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • ACT Range
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • SAT Range
  • Palomar College
  • SAC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Palomar College Open admission
  • SAC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Palomar College
  • SAC Apr 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Palomar College 25:1
  • SAC 33:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Palomar College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • General Studies (7%)
    • Business (6%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • SAC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Work and Family Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Palomar College -
  • SAC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Palomar College $39,700
  • SAC $37,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Palomar College 30%
  • SAC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Palomar College $7,000
  • SAC $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Palomar College $72
  • SAC $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Palomar College 54%
  • SAC 58%
  • % Women
  • Palomar College 46%
  • SAC 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Palomar College High
  • SAC High
  • HBCU
  • Palomar College No
  • SAC No
  • % White
  • Palomar College 40%
  • SAC 21%
  • % Asian
  • Palomar College 6%
  • SAC 8%
  • % Black
  • Palomar College 3%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • Palomar College 40%
  • SAC 50%
  • % Native American
  • Palomar College 1%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Palomar College 0%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Palomar College 5%
  • SAC 1%
  • % International
  • Palomar College 1%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Palomar College 3%
  • SAC 15%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Palomar College 97%
  • SAC 96%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Palomar College 0%
  • SAC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Palomar College No
  • SAC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Palomar College No
  • SAC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Palomar College No
  • SAC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Palomar College No
  • SAC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Palomar College Yes
  • SAC Yes

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Ana College is larger than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 19,550 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
  • Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

Palomar College vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or SAC? 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 Santa Ana College than Palomar College ($5,894 vs. $8,372).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 14.3% lower than at Palomar College ($22,126 vs. $25,804).
  • Palomar College is 14.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $174 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,180.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1% higher at SAC than at Palomar College (about $106 more per year; $10,756.00 vs. $10,650.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at Palomar College (89% vs. 81%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 36.1% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($6,768 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or SAC? 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 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 - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027.

Palomar College vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and SAC? 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 $2,200 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than SAC graduates ($7,000 vs. $7,500).
  • Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SAC graduates ($72 vs. $77).
  • More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 30%)

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.