Palomar College
- Graduation Rate
- 36% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $42,300 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $5,763 A
- 66% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 17,712
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 42.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $42.6 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $42.6 over 20 years. Net gain: $959,291.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduation of 36% — 38% below the national average.
-
Social mobility rate of 2.08% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
-
Every $1 invested returns $42.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.2%
- Top 79%
- Patents
- 56
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 132
- Downstream influence
Why Palomar College Matters
Palomar College is a public college in San Marcos, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 17,712
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Health Professions
Why students choose Palomar College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $5,763 a year after grants and scholarships — 66% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $42,300 ten years after enrolling — 4% above the typical college.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.1% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 26% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.16 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Palomar College enrolls over 17,700 students, making it a significant player in San Marcos, California. The college supports a diverse range of programs, with top offerings in Humanities, Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Health Professions, and Criminal Justice. This variety attracts students looking for practical, career-oriented education.
The Chetty/Opportunity Insights data is not available for Palomar College, but understanding the broader context of community colleges suggests that many students can improve their economic standing after graduation. While specific mobility rates are not provided, community colleges like Palomar often serve as gateways for upward mobility, especially for students from lower-income backgrounds.
The net price for attending Palomar College is approximately $5,763, which is relatively low. Graduates see a 10-year average earning of $42,300, indicating that many find stable employment after completing their studies. Students who thrive here are often those seeking affordable education pathways and practical skills for immediate job placement.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Palomar College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Palomar College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in San Marcos, California, Palomar College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 32%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,495
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 21:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.64
- First-Gen Students
- 54%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Palomar College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Palomar College is $10,650, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,763. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,268 after need-based grants.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,354
- Out-of-State
- $10,650
- Avg Net Price
- $5,763
- Pell Grant Rate
- 18%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $4,268
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $4,786
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $7,710
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,642
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Palomar College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Palomar College report median earnings of $42,300, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $37,220
- 8 Years
- $38,991
- 10 Years
- $42,300
- Earning > $25K
- 47%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (316)
- 14%
- 100% (316)
- 14%
- 100% (316)
- 14%
- 100% (316)
- 14%
How Palomar Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Palomar College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Palomar College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,763/year ($23,052 total). Graduates earn $42,300 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $982,343 in total earnings — a net gain of $959,291 (42.6× your investment).. With a 36% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $23,052
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $982,343
- Net Return
- $959,291
- ROI Multiple
- 42.6×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,763
- Graduation Rate
- 36%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Palomar College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Palomar College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.08%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $73,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.08%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 17.7%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.8%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $73,500
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Palomar College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 56 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.18%
- Top 79% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 56
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 132
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.05%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-5,384,071
Top Programs
The fields Palomar College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
- Humanities 29%
- Business & Marketing 19%
- Social Sciences 8%
- Health Professions 8%
- Criminal Justice 5%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
- Computer Science & IT 2%
- Psychology 2%
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Palomar College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
- B-Software Developer$132,270 · 25% growthVulnerable 40
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Palomar College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in San Marcos, California, Palomar College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Palomar College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Palomar College is $10,650, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $5,763. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $4,268 after need-based grants.
Is Palomar College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Palomar College report median earnings of $42,300, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Palomar College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Palomar College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.08%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 17.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $73,500, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Palomar College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Palomar College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.16, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.11). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Palomar College.
- City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA · Close peer40% grad $45,805 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, CA · Close peer36% grad $47,224 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Butte CollegeOroville, CA · Close peer38% grad $41,810 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, CA · Close peer30% grad $41,156 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, CA · Close peer46% grad $47,348 earnWhy: similar size · same state
- Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria, CA · Close peer27% grad $42,786 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Palomar College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Palomar College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.16, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.11). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note