Palomar College vs. Solano College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Solano College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 9,282 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Solano Community College is in Fairfield, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Solano Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Solano Community College 27:1.

Palomar College vs. Solano College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Solano 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 Solano Community College than Palomar College ($7,102 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Solano Community College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,086 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 15.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Solano College (about $182 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,172.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.5% higher at Palomar College than at Solano Community College (about $838 more per year; $10,650.00 vs. $9,812.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Solano Community College than at Palomar College (85% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 8.6% larger than aid received by Solano Community College students ($4,972 vs. $4,579).

Palomar College vs. Solano College Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Solano College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Solano 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 Solano Community College earn a median of about $400 more per year than Palomar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,100 vs. $39,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $2,803 lower median loan debt than Solano College graduates ($7,000 vs. $9,803).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Solano College graduates ($72 vs. $101).
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Solano College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 27%)

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.