Palomar College
San Marcos, CA 92069-1487
About Palomar College
Palomar College is a public certificate and vocational school in San Marcos, California, with about 17,712 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $5,763 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $1,354. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $42,300 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Palomar College charges about 0.2× the national public median tuition ($1,354).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 37.53%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,300.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Palomar College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1735% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Palomar College awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 107 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palomar College | $1,354 | $5,763 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Palomar College really?
Key findings
- Palomar College charges about 0.2× the national public median tuition ($1,354).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
Palomar College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $1,354
Finding Palomar College charges about 0.2× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $1,354. That is about 0.2× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Palomar College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Palomar College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Palomar College is $5,763.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $5,763 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,580 below the California median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $12,937 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Palomar College, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Palomar College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Palomar College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$1,354
Out-of-state tuition
$10,650
Avg. net price
$5,763
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $4,268 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,786 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $7,710 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $9,766 |
| $110,001+ | $12,642 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $5,416. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Palomar College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies789
- Business Administration and Management, General750
- General Studies426
- Biological and Physical Sciences290
- Social Sciences, General240
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Palomar College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Palomar College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Palomar College.
Campus
Location
San Marcos, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 92069-1487
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is about 0.3× the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
17,712
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 28,183
- Full-time share
- 36%
Student aid
Debt & aid
- Pell grant share
- 18.26%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Palomar College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Palomar College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Palomar College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $1,328 | $5,472 | $5,203 |
| 2014 | $1,336 | $5,648 | $3,591 |
| 2015 | $1,338 | $7,078 | $3,554 |
| 2016 | $1,338 | $7,078 | $3,648 |
| 2017 | $1,338 | $7,386 | $3,066 |
| 2018 | $1,338 | $8,702 | $4,061 |
| 2019 | $1,338 | $8,898 | $3,673 |
| 2020 | $1,344 | $9,604 | $4,982 |
| 2021 | $1,344 | $9,940 | $3,807 |
| 2022 | $1,348 | $10,644 | $5,723 |
| 2023 | $1,354 | $10,650 | $5,247 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Palomar College reported total enrollment of about 17,712 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 55% male and 45% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (50.0%), White (31.8%), and Asian (6.4%). About 18.26% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 53.8% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
35.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Palomar College in 2024 is 17,712 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 28,183 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
70.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
12.24% 100% Completion Time
37.53% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 12.24% of students graduating from Palomar College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 40% male / 60% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 81% male / 19% female
- General Studies: 51% male / 49% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Palomar College graduates earn a median of $42,300 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Palomar College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,300. Average net price used in cost models: $5,763.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Palomar College graduates report median earnings of $42,300 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Palomar College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (107 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Palomar College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Palomar College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Palomar College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$20.1M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- California median near the median ($19.7M)
- Far West median 1.2× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 0.76× the median ($26.4M)
- California median 0.25× the median ($7,407)
- Far West median 0.25× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 0.15× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 31.8%
- California median 7.5 pp below median (39.3%)
- Far West median 13.9 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 26.1 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $13,495
- California median 1.3× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.4× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,186
- California median near the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 0.88× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 0.85× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Palomar College at a glance
Palomar College
Palomar College is a public institution in San Marcos, CA, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesBusiness Administration and Management, GeneralGeneral Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino50.0%White or Caucasian31.8%Asian6.4%
Schools near Palomar College
Other campuses in San Marcos, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Palomar College located?
Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA.
What is Palomar College's tuition?
Palomar College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $1,354 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $5,763 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Palomar College cost?
Reported tuition is $1,354 and average net price is $5,763 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $25,804 annually.
What explains Palomar College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($5,763), completion (37.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($42,300). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Palomar College?
Palomar College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 28,183 students, Hispanic or Latino (50.0%), White (31.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Palomar College?
About 53.8% of students at Palomar College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Palomar College earn?
Median earnings are $37,220 six years after entry and $42,300 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Palomar College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 37.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
Is Palomar College public or private?
Palomar College is a public institution located in San Marcos, CA.
Is Palomar College an HBCU?
No. Palomar College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Palomar College a tribal college?
No. Palomar College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Palomar College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—Palomar College reports 50.0% Hispanic enrollment share.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college profile
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- California trade schools profile
- San Marcos, California city profile
- Far West regional profile
- Rural college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.