Palomar College vs. Taft College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Taft College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 4,464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting); Taft College is in Taft, CA (Distant Town setting).
• Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Taft College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palomar College 25:1; Taft College 28:1.

Palomar College vs. Taft College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palomar College or Taft 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 Taft College than Palomar College ($5,025 vs. $8,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Taft College are 68.6% lower than at Palomar College ($8,095 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 22.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Taft College (about $246 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,108.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.9% higher at Taft College than at Palomar College (about $202 more per year; $10,852.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Taft College than at Palomar College (90% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Taft College students is 91.1% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($9,502 vs. $4,972).

Palomar College vs. Taft College Admissions comparison

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

Palomar College vs. Taft College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palomar College and Taft 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 $100 more per year than Taft College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,700 vs. $39,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.