Average

Score: 51/100

Overall (traditional)

C+

Outcome Rating

62/100 · earnings-weighted

Palomar College

2-Year Public

📍 San Marcos, California 92069

🌐 www2.palomar.edu/

Palomar College — tuition $1,288 in-state, $10,584 out-of-state

Palomar College campus, San Marcos, CA. Photo: Alan Islas, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

ℹ️

Rating Context: ⚠️ Limited Data Available. Some metrics for this institution are incomplete or unavailable, which may affect the overall grade. Consider researching this school directly for the most current information.

Suggested Focus: For this type of institution, we recommend prioritizing the Outcomes Score (C) which measures graduation and job placement rates — the most relevant metrics for career programs.
Graduation Rate: 34%

Outcomes

50/100

Affordability

B+

76/100

Resources

53/100

Experience

42/100

Prestige

32/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

18,815

Total Enrollment

34%

Graduation Rate

71%

Retention Rate

24.0:1

Student-Faculty Ratio

N/A

Acceptance Rate

$7,951

Avg Net Price

🏠 Housing Market Near Palomar College ▼

25% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value

$904,938

Avg Monthly Rent

$3,187

1-Year Change

+2.2%

See full rental market data for 92069 →

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Palomar College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$42,300

Median earnings 10 yrs after entry

$37,220

Median earnings 6 yrs after entry

37.5%

Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)

18.3%

Students receiving Pell grants

Earnings rank: 71st percentile among certificate-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

For parents & investors

The Palomar College Town Property Report

Avg home value near campus: $904,938
Avg rent near campus: $3,187/mo
Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 92057 (3.0% cap, Oceanside)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

✓ Sent — check your inbox

Free — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

🏆 Where Palomar College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician

of 13 schools

#16

Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician

of 31 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition	$1,288	$10,584

Financial Aid

78%

Receive Any Aid

35%

Receive Pell Grants

Take Out Loans

$7,951

Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income	Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000	$4,065
$30,001 - $48,000	$4,554
$48,001 - $75,000	$7,762
$75,001 - $110,000	$10,075
$110,001+	$11,879

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 789 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 750 grads/yr General Studies 426 grads/yr Biological and Physical Sciences 290 grads/yr Social Sciences, General 240 grads/yr Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 232 grads/yr Humanities/Humanistic Studies 108 grads/yr Psychology, General 102 grads/yr Child Care Provider/Assistant 99 grads/yr Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician 90 grads/yr Fire Science/Fire-fighting 78 grads/yr Mathematics, General 77 grads/yr Biology/Biological Sciences, General 74 grads/yr Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 69 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 68 grads/yr Sociology, General 50 grads/yr Radio and Television 43 grads/yr Welding Technology/Welder 42 grads/yr Computer Science 40 grads/yr Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician 38 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Palomar College's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other

$78k/yr 183,400 jobs

Chief executives

$206k/yr 309,400 jobs

Compensation and benefits managers

$140k/yr 20,900 jobs

Human resources managers

$140k/yr 221,900 jobs

Sales managers

$138k/yr 619,500 jobs

Managers, all other

$137k/yr 1,333,700 jobs

Training and development managers

$127k/yr 46,400 jobs

Industrial production managers

$121k/yr 241,900 jobs

Student Demographics

18,815

Total Students

46%

Women

56%

Traditional Age (18-24)

25%

Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 33%

Hispanic 49%

Black 3%

Asian 7%

Two or More 6%

Non-Resident 1%

🏠 Living Arrangements

Off-Campus (Renters) 25%

With Family 75%

🏘️ Rental Demand: ~4,741 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 40%

Hybrid (Some Online) 34%

Fully Online 27%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 56%

25-64 (Adult) 32%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Palomar College?

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.

How much does it cost to attend Palomar College?

Tuition at Palomar College is $1,288 for in-state students and $10,584 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $7,951.

What is the graduation rate at Palomar College?

The graduation rate at Palomar College is 34%. This graduation rate is low, which may reflect the institution's student population, program types, or other factors worth investigating.

Is Palomar College a good school?

Palomar College has a Repit College Score of 51/100 (Grade: C). Our rating evaluates five key factors:

Outcomes (C): Graduation and retention rates
Affordability (B+): Net cost and financial aid access
Resources (C): Class sizes and selectivity
Experience (D): Campus life and learning format
Prestige (D): Reputation and recognition

Note: As a smaller institution, we recommend focusing on the Outcomes score when evaluating this school.

How many students attend Palomar College?

Palomar College has a total enrollment of 18,815 students.

Is there rental demand near Palomar College?

Yes! Approximately 25% of students at Palomar College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 4,741 students who need rental housing near campus. This represents significant rental demand, which affects housing availability and pricing in the San Marcos area.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Palomar College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →