Southwest Texas College vs. Palo Alto College

Comparable Facts

Compare Southwest Texas College in Uvalde, 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 Southwest Texas College based on total student enrollment (12,395 students vs. 6,525 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southwest Texas College is located in Uvalde, TX (Rural Fringe setting); Palo Alto College is in San Antonio, TX (Large City setting).
• Southwest Texas College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Alto College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Southwest Texas College 28:1; Palo Alto College 31:1.

Southwest Texas College vs. Palo Alto College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Texas 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 Southwest Texas College ($4,805 vs. $6,429).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Texas College are 55.1% lower than at Palo Alto College ($6,400 vs. $14,250).
• Palo Alto College is 28.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest Texas College (about $1,216 more per year; $5,542.00 vs. $4,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 58.1% higher at Palo Alto College than at Southwest Texas College (about $3,658 more per year; $9,952.00 vs. $6,294.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Alto College than at Southwest Texas College (92% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Texas College students is 2.8% larger than aid received by Palo Alto College students ($7,177 vs. $6,983).

Southwest Texas College vs. Palo Alto College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southwest Texas 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 Southwest Texas College.

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

Southwest Texas College vs. Palo Alto College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southwest Texas 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 Southwest Texas College earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than Palo Alto College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Palo Alto College and Southwest Texas College graduates have the same median loan debt ($5,500 vs. $5,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Palo Alto College and Southwest Texas College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($56 vs. $56).
• More Southwest Texas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palo Alto College students, three years after graduation. (38% 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.