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Palomar College

San Marcos, CA·Public·www2.palomar.edu/

Campus Identity

Beach Town

Palomar College is a public community college in San Marcos, CA. The campus sits in a beach town, just 10 miles from the ocean. CollegeCove's campus safety score is 89/100 (Pretty Safe), based on U.S. Department of Education Clery Act data.

At a Glance

Palomar College is a public community college in San Marcos, CA. The campus sits in a beach town, just 10 miles from the ocean. CollegeCove's campus safety score is 89/100 (Pretty Safe), based on U.S. Department of Education Clery Act data.

N/A
Acceptance Rate
N/A
ACT Score (50th %ile)
$1,288
In-State Tuition
+$56 fees
$9,884
Out-of-State Tuition
+$56 fees
N/A
Room & Board
N/A
Total Enrollment
Undergraduate students
N/A
Yield Rate
Admitted students who enrolled
N/A
Athletics

Campus Lifestyle

School Size & Setting

10,000–19,999

Suburban setting

Beach Access

10 miles

Carlsbad Beach, CA

Weather

Warm Climate

61°F avg school-year

Nearby Ski Resorts

75 mi away
240 skiable acres12 lifts
77 mi away
240 skiable acres10 lifts
77 mi away
198 skiable acres8 lifts

Beach Town

Carlsbad Beach, CA

Ocean access within 9.7 miles

10 mi away

Average Monthly Temperature

1991–2020 Climate Normals · San Marcos, CA

56°Jan56°Feb58°Mar60°Apr63°May65°Jun69°Jul71°Aug70°Sep66°Oct61°Nov56°Dec

Station: CARLSBAD MCCLELLAN PALOMAR Airport · Source: NOAA NCEI

On Campus Safety Score

2021–2023 U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security data normalized per 1,000 students

89/100
Pretty Safe
PersonalSafetyPropertySafetyParty SceneSafety898494
89/100
Personal
assault, rape, stalking, dating and domestic violence
84/100
Property
burglary, vehicle theft, arson
94/100
Party Scene
drug, alcohol & weapons enforcement

On Campus Safety data from the U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act Database, normalized per 1,000 enrolled students. Higher scores indicate a safer environment. Review detailed data on the U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security website.

Cost Breakdown

Annual costs for the 2023–24 academic year. Source: IPEDS/NCES 2024.

Tuition
$1,288$9,884
Fees
$56$56
Total
$1,344$9,940
In-StateOut-of-State

These are sticker prices. Your actual cost may be much lower with financial aid.

Calculate Your Net Price

Fields of Study

146 programs offered

Most Popular Programs

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCertificate
1,081 grads/yr
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's
318 grads/yr
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate
299 grads/yr
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate
280 grads/yr
Social Sciences, GeneralAssociate's
279 grads/yr

Bar width proportional to graduates per year. Earnings = median 4 years after graduation.

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Certificate1,081 grads
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Associate's318 grads
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Certificate299 grads
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
Certificate280 grads
Social Sciences, General
Associate's279 grads
Biological and Physical Sciences
Associate's275 grads
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Associate's211 grads
Fire Protection
Certificate148 grads
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Certificate105 grads
Psychology, General
Associate's98 grads

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect graduates working and not enrolled full-time. Data suppressed (shown as —) for programs with fewer than 30 graduates. Most recent available year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Palomar College located?

Palomar College is located in San Marcos, CA. The main campus address is 1140 W. Mission Road, San Marcos, CA. It is a public institution offering 2-year associate degree programs.

How much does it cost to attend Palomar College?

For the 2023–24 academic year, Palomar College charges $1,288/year for in-state students and $9,884/year for out-of-state students. Including room and board, the total estimated cost for out-of-state students is approximately $9,940/year. Financial aid, scholarships, and grants can significantly reduce this cost — use Palomar College's net price calculator for a personalized estimate.

Is Palomar College the right fit for me?

Whether Palomar College is right for you depends on your academic goals, budget, lifestyle preferences, and career aspirations. Key factors to consider: admissions requirements, cost ($9,884/year out-of-state), campus culture in San Marcos, and available programs. Use CollegeCove's compare tool to weigh Palomar College against similar schools side-by-side.

Data sourced from IPEDS/NCES 2024. Always verify with Palomar College directly for the most current information.

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Start your application at the official website.

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Quick Facts

Type
Public
Location
San Marcos, CA
Size
10,000–19,999
Degrees Offered
Associate's, Certificates
School Year Weather
Warm · 61°F avg
On Campus Safety Score
89/100
Nearest Airport
Carlsbad, CA (CLD) · 6 mialso OCN (11 mi), NKX (20 mi)

Location

San Marcos, CA

Data Sources: Admissions, cost, and enrollment data sourced from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) (NCES, 2024 survey year). Fields of Study data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. On Campus Safety Score computed from Clery Act data (U.S. Dept. of Education, 3-year average normalized per 1,000 students). Data may not reflect most recent changes. Always verify with the institution directly.