Palomar College vs. SBCC

Should I go to Palomar College or Santa Barbara City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Palomar College or SBCC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Palomar College vs. Santa Barbara City College comparison
Palomar College Santa Barbara City College College 3 College 4
Palomar College Santa Barbara City College
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Overview

Palomar College SBCC
Location San Marcos, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 17,655 12,675
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website palomar.edu sbcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Palomar College SBCC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $10,584 $8,760
Room & Board $22,338 $17,784
Avg Net Price $8,476 $14,180
Avg Grant Aid $5,896 $4,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 64%

Admission

Palomar College SBCC
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 19, 2025

Academics

Palomar College SBCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 37:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)

Outcomes

Palomar College SBCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,000 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $72 $98

Diversity

Palomar College SBCC
% Men 53% 44%
% Women 47% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 41%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 40% 33%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 1% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Palomar College SBCC
% In-State 94% 80%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Palomar College SBCC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Palomar College is larger than than SBCC based on total student enrollment (17,655 students vs. 12,675 students)

Palomar College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or SBCC?

  • Palomar College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SBCC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Palomar College than Santa Barbara City College ($10,584.00 vs. $8,760.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palomar College than SBCC ($8,476 vs. $14,180)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 25.6% lower than costs at Palomar College ($17,784 vs. $22,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palomar College than Santa Barbara City College (80% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 31.1% larger than aid received Santa Barbara City College ($5,896 vs. $4,496)

Which college is harder to get into, Palomar College or SBCC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SBCC or Palomar College .

Palomar College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Palomar College or SBCC? 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 SBCC and Palomar College.

  • Graduates from Santa Barbara City College earn on average $700 more per year than Palomar College graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $39,700)
  • Palomar College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SBCC graduates. ($7,000 vs. $9,500)
  • Palomar College graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than SBCC graduates. ($72 vs. $98)
  • More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/