Palo Alto, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Palo Alto, California: median graduate debt $20,500 (+54.5% vs U.S.) 19 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 19 students
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,500 (+54.5% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $11,537
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Palo Alto serve students across California with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 19 students enrolled in federal data. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Palo Alto, California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Palo Alto vs California & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto, California | N/A | N/A | $20,500 | N/A | 19 |
| California (state median) | $1,350 | $8,343 | $11,537 | 59.0% | 2,134,322 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Palo Alto, California vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto, California | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| California (state median) | $65,668 | 90.0% | 83.8% | 3.7% | — | 74.1% | 0.28 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in California (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto, California | N/A | N/A | $20,500 | N/A | 19 | N/A | N/A |
| Los Angeles | $16,900 | $21,711 | $18,375 | 71.7% | 120,534 | $74,165 | 87.7% |
| San Diego | $13,284 | $23,205 | $13,000 | 69.2% | 95,661 | $66,228 | 89.4% |
| Sacramento | $1,288 | $20,520 | $10,674 | 50.8% | 94,048 | $64,876 | 91.3% |
| Long Beach | $4,453 | $14,158 | $11,812 | 68.9% | 60,761 | $64,403 | 91.1% |
| Fullerton | $5,420 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 70.2% | 56,299 | $56,324 | 89.2% |
| Fresno | $7,350 | $20,190 | $10,976 | 53.5% | 54,532 | $60,070 | 91.2% |
| Riverside | $15,606 | $21,765 | $11,098 | 60.8% | 53,903 | $61,824 | 90.9% |
| Pasadena | $31,530 | $25,065 | $13,194 | 37.4% | 49,021 | $62,222 | 84.6% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Student debt: Palo Alto, California vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Palo Alto, California is $20,500 (+54.5% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $11,537.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $20,500 (+54.5% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Palo Alto?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Palo Alto, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Palo Alto?
Median in-state tuition in Palo Alto is N/A and median net price is N/A. For California overall, medians are $1,350 and $8,343; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Palo Alto?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Palo Alto is N/A vs $65,668 for California and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Palo Alto colleges?
Median completer debt in Palo Alto is $20,500 vs $11,537 for California and $13,271 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Palo Alto?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Palo Alto, California, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- California college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON