TVCC vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

Compare Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, 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 TVCC based on total student enrollment (12,395 students vs. 5,961 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Trinity Valley Community College is located in Athens, TX (Distant Town setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• Trinity Valley 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: Trinity Valley Community College 21:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

TVCC vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TVCC 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 TVCC ($4,805 vs. $5,015).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Trinity Valley Community College are 47.1% lower than at Palo Alto College ($7,534 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 12.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than TVCC (about $622 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,920.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 66.7% higher at Palo Alto College than at Trinity Valley Community College (about $3,982 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $5,970.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at Trinity Valley Community College (92% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Trinity Valley Community College students is 37.2% larger than aid received by Palo Alto College students ($9,582 vs. $6,983).

TVCC vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TVCC 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 TVCC.

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

TVCC vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TVCC 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 Trinity Valley Community College earn a median of about $2,300 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,100 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have a $3,750 lower median loan debt than TVCC graduates ($5,500 vs. $9,250).
• Among borrowers, Palo Alto College graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than TVCC graduates ($56 vs. $95).
• More Palo Alto College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TVCC students, three years after graduation. (38% 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.