Palo Alto College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in San Antonio, Texas. It enrolls 8,801 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes40
Value90
Affordability59
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Palo Alto College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Palo Alto College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $4,463 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$4,463
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
27%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
2%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$3,412
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,952
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,250
Books & Supplies
$500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,704
Total Cost of Attendance
$11,946
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$3,680
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,373
$48,001 – $75,000
$6,248
$75,001 – $110,000
$7,376
Over $110,000
$5,201
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$13,393Medianpercentile
$10,95075%percentile
$21,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,500
↓ $5,893
No Pell $5,500
↓ $7,893
Dependent students $5,312
↓ $8,081
Independent students $9,500
↓ $3,893
Female students $6,343
↓ $7,050
Male students $7,686
↓ $5,707
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,000, less than completers ($13,393), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
20% of full-time students who enrolled at Palo Alto College graduate within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Palo Alto College earn a median of $37,448 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$37,448
Earning > $25K
64%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,000
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$41,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,500, about 26% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
38.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 70% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Palo Alto College is home to 8,801 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 64% are first-generation college students, 79% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
8,801
Part-Time
79%
First-Generation
64%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 77.0%6,775
White 12.0%1,060
Black 5.9%516
Other 2.9%258
Asian 1.5%128
International 0.1%8
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Palo Alto College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CitySan Antonio, Texas
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
22%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Palo Alto College offers
a varied set of programs:
17 distinct programs across
8 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Palo Alto College is 30:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
30:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,518
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,778
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
109 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
21
19%
$85,830
Associate Professors
11
10%
$74,377
Assistant Professors
21
19%
$71,448
Instructors
56
51%
$60,283
Pros & Cons of Palo Alto College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Palo Alto College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Palo Alto College is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Palo Alto College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Palo Alto College.
How much does Palo Alto College cost?
The average net price after aid at Palo Alto College is $4,463 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Palo Alto College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $37,448 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $4,463 per year. That's roughly 8.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Palo Alto College known for?
Palo Alto College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12), Cosmetology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Palo Alto College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Palo Alto College are $37,448, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Palo Alto College accredited?
Yes. Palo Alto College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Palo Alto College?
Palo Alto College enrolls 8,801 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Palo Alto College?
Palo Alto College graduates 20% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Palo Alto College a public or private college?
Palo Alto College is a Public institution.
Where is Palo Alto College located?
Palo Alto College is located in San Antonio, Texas.
What programs does Palo Alto College offer?
Palo Alto College offers 17 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Teacher Education (K-12), Cosmetology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Palo Alto College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Palo Alto College is 30:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Texas
Other colleges in Texas share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
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Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
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Rankings That Feature Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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91 UCD Score
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$89,718 Top Earn
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