San Jacinto College vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

Compare San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena, TX with Palo Alto College in San Antonio, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

San Jacinto Community College is larger than Palo Alto College based on total student enrollment (31,812 students vs. 12,395 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Jacinto Community College is located in Pasadena, TX (Large Suburban setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• San Jacinto Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Jacinto Community College 24:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

San Jacinto College vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Jacinto College or Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto College than San Jacinto College ($4,805 vs. $12,397).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palo Alto College are 37.8% lower than at San Jacinto Community College ($14,250 vs. $22,916).
• Palo Alto College is 28.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Jacinto College (about $1,222 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,320.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 48.8% higher at Palo Alto College than at San Jacinto Community College (about $3,262 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $6,690.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at San Jacinto Community College (92% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Jacinto Community College students is 26.7% larger than aid received by Palo Alto College students ($8,847 vs. $6,983).

San Jacinto College vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Jacinto College or Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto College and San Jacinto College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: San Jacinto College - Open admission; Palo Alto College - Open admission.

San Jacinto College vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Jacinto College and Palo Alto 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 San Jacinto Community College earn a median of about $8,800 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,600 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $3,765 lower median loan debt than San Jacinto College graduates ($5,500 vs. $9,265).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Jacinto College graduates ($56 vs. $95).
• More Palo Alto College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Jacinto College students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 33%)

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.