Palomar College

Frequently asked questions

About Palomar College

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Palomar College located?

Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA, in the United States.

What type of institution is Palomar College?

Palomar College is a public community college based in CA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

Is Palomar College open admission?

Yes. Palomar College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.

What is the tuition at Palomar College?

Palomar College's published in-state tuition is approximately $1,354 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Palomar College?

Palomar College reports total enrollment of approximately 19,550 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Palomar College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Palomar College is approximately $5,763 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $4,268 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $12,642. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Palomar College?

Palomar College reports a graduation rate of approximately 38% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much do graduates of Palomar College earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $42,300 for students who received federal financial aid at Palomar College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Palomar College?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Palomar College.

Does Palomar College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Palomar College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $86,613, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.