South Plains College vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

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

Palo Alto College is larger than South Plains College based on total student enrollment (12,395 students vs. 9,098 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• South Plains College is located in Levelland, TX (Distant Town setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• South Plains College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: South Plains College 16:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

South Plains College vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Plains 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 South Plains College ($4,805 vs. $6,494).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Plains College are 61.5% lower than at Palo Alto College ($5,481 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 16.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than South Plains College (about $771 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,771.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 93.1% higher at Palo Alto College than at South Plains College (about $4,797 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $5,155.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at South Plains College (92% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by South Plains College students is 1.9% larger than aid received by Palo Alto College students ($7,114 vs. $6,983).

South Plains College vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, South Plains 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 South Plains College.

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

South Plains College vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for South Plains 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 South Plains College earn a median of about $7,500 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,300 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than South Plains College graduates ($5,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than South Plains College graduates ($56 vs. $108).
• More South Plains College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palo Alto College students, three years after graduation. (40% vs. 38%)

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.