UC Berkeley vs. Palomar College

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or Palomar College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or Palomar College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UCLA MiraCosta College Stanford UCSD UT Austin UC Davis Michigan UCSB UCI USC Georgia Tech UW-Seattle
University of California Berkeley vs. Palomar College comparison
University of California Berkeley Palomar College College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley Palomar College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Location Berkeley, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 45,036 17,566
Type Public 4 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking #60
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu palomar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Tuition (In State) $11,442 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $41,196 $9,884
Room & Board $20,236 $22,176
Avg Net Price $19,329 $7,530
Avg Grant Aid $18,831 $4,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 81%

Admission

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 112,843 -
Admitted 16,295 -
Acceptance Rate 14.4% Open
Enrolled % 42.5% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.87 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Unavailable
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 30/35
SAT Range 1310/1530
Submit Test Scores Neither required nor recommended
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Graduation Rate 90% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $39,700
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $7,000
Median Loan Payment $146 $72

Diversity

UC Berkeley Palomar College
% Men 47% 51%
% Women 53% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 40%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 40%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

UC Berkeley Palomar College
% In-State 70% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 0%

Campus

UC Berkeley Palomar College
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than Palomar College based on total student enrollment (45,036 students vs. 17,566 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Palomar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Palomar College?

  • University of California Berkeley is 788.4% more expensive to attend than Palomar College for in-state tuition ($11,442.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 316.8% higher at UC Berkeley than Palomar College ($41,196.00 vs. $9,884.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Palomar College than UC Berkeley ($7,530 vs. $19,329)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Berkeley are 9.6% lower than costs at Palomar College ($20,236 vs. $22,176)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Palomar College than University of California Berkeley (81% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 318.8% larger than aid received Palomar College ($18,831 vs. $4,496)

Which college is harder to get into, UC Berkeley or Palomar College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Palomar College or UC Berkeley .

UC Berkeley vs. Palomar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or Palomar College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Palomar College and UC Berkeley.

  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $35,000 more per year than Palomar College graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $39,700)
  • Palomar College students graduate with a $7,200 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Berkeley graduates. ($7,000 vs. $14,200)
  • Palomar College graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than UC Berkeley graduates. ($72 vs. $146)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Palomar College students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/