Palomar College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Sierra College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 19,125 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Palomar College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Sierra College? 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 Sierra College ($8,372 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 47.2% lower than at Palomar College ($13,631 vs. $25,804).
• Sierra College is 6.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palomar College (about $92 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,354.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 636.5% higher at Palomar College than at Sierra College (about $9,204 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palomar College than at Sierra College (81% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sierra College students is 0.7% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,006 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Sierra College? 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 $3,600 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Sierra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (32% 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.