Palomar College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Palomar College charges a net price of $5,763/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $23,052. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,300, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Palomar College does not clear its cost — it ranks #167 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $5,763/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $23,052 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,300 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,060/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | — | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$144,252 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Palomar College's own numbers. Net price $5,763 × 4 years = $23,052 total. Median earnings $42,300 fall $6,060 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $23,052 bill in about 2.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
What share of Palomar College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $23,052 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $60,663 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Palomar College expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $5,763 net price runs $14,142 below the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, and $56,568 less across the full degree.