Gavilan College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Gavilan College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 6,083 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gavilan College are 14.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,086 vs. $25,804).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15% higher at Gavilan College than at Palomar College (about $1,599 more per year; $12,249 vs. $10,650).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Gavilan College than at Palomar College (83% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Gavilan College students is 12.2% larger than aid received by Palomar College students ($5,577 vs. $4,972).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are open admission at both Gavilan College and Palomar College.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Gavilan College graduates ($7,000 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Gavilan College graduates ($72 vs. $77).
• More Palomar College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gavilan College students, three years after graduation (30% vs. 30%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.