Palomar College
San Marcos, CA · Public · offers Associate's degrees
—Acceptance rate
$5,763Average net price / year
38%Graduation rate
$42,300Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
—Median debt at graduation
17,712Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $1,354
- Out-of-state tuition
- $10,650
- Total cost of attendance
- $14,360
- Books & supplies
- $1,062
- Average net price
- $5,763
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $4,268
- $30–48k
- $4,786
- $48–75k
- $7,710
- $75–110k
- $9,766
- $110k+
- $12,642
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- —
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 38%
- First-year retention
- 70%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $37,220
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $42,300
- Median debt (graduates)
- —
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 18%
- Students with federal loans
- 1%
Programs: what graduates earn
5 of 146 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Associate's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 318 | $44,438 | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 275 | $42,957 | — |
| Social Sciences, General | 279 | $29,028 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 62 | $68,079 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 211 | $65,947 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 17,712
- Part-time
- 64%
- Women / men
- 45% / 55%
- White
- 32%
- Hispanic
- 50%
- Black
- 3%
- Asian
- 6%
- International
- 1%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 25:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $121,455 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 32%
- Accreditor
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Website
- www2.palomar.edu
- Also known as
- NA
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 2% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 3% of degrees
- Engineering Technologies – 3% of degrees
- Family & Consumer Sciences – 3% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 30% of degrees
- Interdisciplinary Studies – 7% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
How much does Palomar College cost?
The average net price after grants is $5,763 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $1,354 and the full cost of attendance is $14,360.
How much do Palomar College graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $42,300 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
38% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in San Marcos
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA · Public · 14,877 students |
$10,229 | 95% | 55% | $62,908 |
| Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos San Marcos, CA · Private for-profit · 573 students |
$27,365 | — | 71% | $38,673 |
| Palomar Institute of Cosmetology San Marcos, CA · Private for-profit · 193 students |
$27,778 | — | 89% | $23,451 |
| University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences San Marcos, CA · Private for-profit |
— | — | — | $79,150 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.