Palomar College

www2.palomar.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,288

2021 Average Net Price

$6,659

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

5.33%

Default Rate

2021 Enrolled Students

17,566

30.3% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

29.1%

664 Graduates

About

Palomar College is a higher education institution located in San Diego County, CA. In 2021, the most popular 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentrations at Palomar College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,202 degrees awarded), Fire Science & Fire-Fighting (82 degrees), and Fire Prevention & Safety Technology (69 degrees).

In 2021, 4,487 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Palomar College. 58% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (1,922 degrees), 1.16 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (1,653 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Palomar College is $1,288, which is $−6,680 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Palomar College is $1,288, which is $−6,680 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $6,659.

In 2021, 48% of undergraduate students attending Palomar College received financial aid through grants.

Tuition Costs

$1,288

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Palomar College was $1,288. The cost of tuition at Palomar College is $−6,680 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Palomar College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$6,659

2021 Value

11.6%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Palomar College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,659. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Palomar College grew by 11.6%.

This chart compares the average net price of Palomar College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,580

Room and Board

$1,080

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Palomar College was of $16,580 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 9.92% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,080. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 45.2% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Palomar College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

48%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

48% of undergraduate students at Palomar College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 48% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Palomar College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

5.33%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Palomar College was 5.33%, which represents 9 out of the 169 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Enrollment

Palomar College had a total enrollment of 17,566 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Palomar College is 5,331 students and the part-time enrollment is 12,235. This means that 30.3% of students enrolled at Palomar College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Palomar College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 46.7% Hispanic or Latino, 34.5% White, 6.44% Asian, 6.36% Two or More Races, 2.77% Black or African American, 0.643% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.427% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Palomar College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (26.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (20.2%) and White Male (18%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

30.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Palomar College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 17,566 students. The full-time enrollment at Palomar College is 5,331 and the part-time enrollment is 12,235. This means that 30.3% of students enrolled at Palomar College are enrolled full-time compared with 32.5% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Palomar College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

66%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Palomar College was 66%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (60%), Palomar College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Palomar College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

Hispanic or Latino
8,198 enrolled students
White
6,057 enrolled students
Asian
1,131 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Palomar College is 46.7% Hispanic or Latino, 34.5% White, 6.44% Asian, 6.36% Two or More Races, 2.77% Black or African American, 0.643% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.427% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 44.1% White, 26.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.5% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 291 students (1.66%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 715 more women than men received degrees from Palomar College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Palomar College is hispanic or latino (1,922 degrees awarded). There were 1.16 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (1653 degrees).

The most common 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentration at Palomar College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,202 degrees awarded), followed by Fire Science & Fire-Fighting (82 degrees) and Fire Prevention & Safety Technology (69 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Palomar College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Language & Linguistics (105 degrees awarded), Construction (107 degrees), and Human Sciences (156 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Palomar College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (313,900 people), Other managers (226,283 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (171,985 people), Postsecondary teachers (117,272 people), and Chief executives & legislators (108,485 people).

The most specialized majors at Palomar College in 2021 are Language & Linguistics (105 degrees awarded), Construction (107 degrees), Human Sciences (156 degrees), Library Science (18 degrees), and Social Sciences (542 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Palomar College are Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, and Sales engineers

The most specialized majors at Palomar College are Language & Linguistics (105 degrees awarded), Construction (107 degrees), Human Sciences (156 degrees), Library Science (18 degrees), and Social Sciences (542 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Palomar College are Elementary & secondary schools (382,908 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (261,952 people), Legal services (251,115 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (165,695 people), and Computer Systems Design (157,135 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Palomar College.

Most Common (2021)

General Social Sciences
401 degrees awarded
Biological & Physical Sciences
294 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
172 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common associates degree concentration at Palomar College was General Social Sciences with 401 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Palomar College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,886

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

2,601

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 1,886 degrees were awarded to men at Palomar College, which is 0.725 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,601).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Palomar College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 460 degrees were awarded to men at Palomar College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.571 times less than the 805 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 805 degrees were awarded to men at Palomar College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.75 times more than the 460 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

13%

100% Completion Time

31%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 13% of students graduating from Palomar College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 31% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 37% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (64.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Palomar College is Female and Asian (64.2% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.66% of graduates (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

Hispanic or Latino
1,922 degrees awarded
White
1,653 degrees awarded
Asian
344 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Palomar College is hispanic or latino (1,922 degrees awarded). There were 1.16 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (1653 degrees).

1.89% of degree recipients (85 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

Hispanic or Latino Female
1,157 degrees awarded
White Female
882 degrees awarded
White Male
771 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Palomar College is hispanic or latino female (1,157 degrees awarded). There were 1.31 times more hispanic or latino female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (882 degrees).

Operations

Palomar College has an endowment valued at nearly $10.5M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 4.43M (42.4%) compared to the 1.65% average return (87.6k on 5.29M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2021, Palomar College had a total salary expenditure of 238M. Palomar College employs 273 Instructors. Most academics at Palomar College are Female Instructor (147), and Male Instructor (126).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Palomar College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 126 employees, Service, with 84 employees, and Management with 57 employees.

Endowment

$10.5M

2021 Endowment

72.2%

growth from 2020

Palomar College has an endowment valued at about $10.5M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Palomar College grew 72.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $5.17M higher than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Palomar College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$12.4M - Federal
$27.9M - State
$1.36M - Local

As of 2021, Palomar College received $12.4M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $27.9M from state grants and contracts, and $1.36M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$84.2M

2021 Salaries

10.4%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Palomar College paid a median of $84.2M in salaries, which represents 35.3% of their overall expenditure ($238M) and a 10.4% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Associates Colleges is 16.4M (41.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$31.9M

Instructional Salaries

273

Number of Employees

In 2021, Palomar College paid a total of $31.9M to 273 employees working as instructors, which represents 37.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $5.1M (31.2%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

273 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

126 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Palomar College was Instructor with 273 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Palomar College were Office and Administrative Support with 126 employees, Service with 84 employees, and Management with 57 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female Instructor
Male Instructor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Palomar College was Female Instructor with 147 employees, and Male Instructor with 126 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Palomar College.