What we know
Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025- Students
- 17,712
Larger than 95% of colleges
National median 1,603
Is this campus your type?
Five questions match you to a college identity, then show where Palomar College sits for you.
Take the fit quizCost & financial aid
Average net price
$1,839
What students paid per year on average after grants and scholarships. Your price depends on family income.
Published price vs. what students paid
- In-state tuition & fees
- $1,356
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $11,688
- Average net price
- $1,839
Students receiving Pell Grants
- Pell Grant recipients
- 20.5%
Free tools
Plan your costs for Palomar College
- Can I afford it?Loan payment against what its graduates earn
- How much can I borrow?Federal loan limits and what is left to cover
- Will I get a Pell Grant?Estimate this year's award from your SAI
- What would I repay?Monthly payments on $7,356 of loans
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Work out your cost
Plan the aid and loans
Aid & Loan Plan$14 once
A PDF that applies the 2026–27 federal aid rules to you and up to three colleges: Pell Grant, loan limits, the gap left and repayment.
Start with the Pell Grant estimator See a sample reportOutcomes
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$48,110
Former students who received federal aid
Explore these programs
Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.
Programs A–ZAcademics
Total students
17,712
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Community college
A Community College with a majority of traditionally-aged students, some of whom study in a program to later transfer to 4-year colleges, and some of whom seek vocational and technical training.
Location & details
Where the campus is, how far it sits from a major city, and other colleges within reach.
Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, CA, United States
Distances are straight-line miles, not driving distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap and OpenMapTiles.
Campus
Palomar College
San Marcos, CA, United States
- Public
- Community college
Large suburb
Inside an urbanized area but outside a principal city.
- City
- Suburb (this campus)
- Town
- Rural
Nearest major citySan Diego, CA · about 30 mi
In the city250 mi
- Calendar
- Semester
- Website
- www2.palomar.edu
Colleges nearby
- University of Saint Katherine0.7 miSan Marcos
- California State University-San Marcos1.9 miSan Marcos
John Paul the Great Catholic University6.2 miEscondido- MiraCosta College7.4 miOceanside
National University-California16.9 miLa Jolla
San Diego Miramar College17 miSan Diego
Still have a question?
Ask about admissions, cost or campus life at Palomar College. Answers come from CollegesRef data.
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Admit rate, net price and outcomes for Palomar College and San Joaquin Delta College, side by side.
Compare with San Joaquin Delta CollegeFrequently asked questions
How much is Palomar College tuition?
In-state tuition at Palomar College is $1,356 and out-of-state tuition is $11,688 a year before financial aid in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. The average net price after grants is $1,839 a year.
What is the average net price at Palomar College?
The average net price at Palomar College, what first-time, full-time students paid after grants and scholarships, was $1,839 a year in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition. Your own price depends on family income; the college's net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
What is the graduation rate at Palomar College?
29% of first-time, full-time students at Palomar College graduate within six years (150% of normal time), according to the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
What colleges are similar to Palomar College?
The closest matches are San Joaquin Delta College, Sacramento City College, and Cosumnes River College, based on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile.
Sources
Last checked Nov 3, 2026
- Admissions
- CollegesRef archive
- Cost
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Outcomes
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
- Enrollment
- U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
Figures come from federal reporting. Text marked “CollegesRef editorial” is our own summary, and similar-college lists come from CollegesRef matching. How we source data
