Napa Valley College vs. Palomar College

Comparable Facts

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

Palomar College is larger than Napa Valley College based on total student enrollment (19,550 students vs. 4,844 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Napa Valley College is located in Napa, CA (Small City setting); Palomar College is in San Marcos, CA (Small City setting).
• Napa Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palomar College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Napa Valley College 21:1; Palomar College 25:1.

Napa Valley College vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Napa Valley College or Palomar 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 Palomar College than Napa Valley College ($8,372 vs. $19,587).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Napa Valley College are 12.4% lower than at Palomar College ($22,599 vs. $25,804).
• Palomar College is 17.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Napa Valley College (about $198 more per year; $1,354.00 vs. $1,156.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.8% higher at Napa Valley College than at Palomar College (about $1,258 more per year; $11,908.00 vs. $10,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Napa Valley College than at Palomar College (88% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Palomar College students is 26.6% larger than aid received by Napa Valley College students ($4,972 vs. $3,927).

Napa Valley College vs. Palomar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Napa Valley College or Palomar 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 Palomar College and Napa Valley College.

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

Napa Valley College vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Napa Valley College and Palomar 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 Napa Valley College earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than Palomar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,300 vs. $39,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palomar College graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Napa Valley College graduates ($7,000 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, Palomar College graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Napa Valley College graduates ($72 vs. $77).
• More Napa Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (50% 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.