CA
Palomar College
0.31 incidents / 1,000 students
San Marcos, CA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
Palomar College
Across 2022–2024, Palomar College reported 8 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Burglary). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Fullerton College.
- 0.31
- Incidents / 1k students
- #189
- Rank of 2,072
- #129
- CA rank
- 19,550
- Enrolled students
0.31 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Palomar College reports 0.31 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 78% below Fullerton College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); Sinclair Community College (0.46/1k); Towson University (3.04/1k); St. John's University-New York (1.50/1k); Central New Mexico Community College (1.55/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Fullerton College (0.41/1k); City College of San Francisco (1.04/1k); Sacramento City College (0.25/1k); Sierra College (0.16/1k); Saddleback College (0.82/1k); San Joaquin Delta College (0.48/1k); Southwestern College (0.76/1k); College of the Canyons (0.17/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 0.31
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #189
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 91%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 3
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 120971 · Palomar College 0.31/1k score rate · #189/2,072
RATE-QUIET · RANK-TOP · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-NONE
- RATE-QUIET 0.31/1k
- RANK-TOP #189/2,072
- ST-MID #129 in state
- PEER-FINISH Fullerton College · ±0.10
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 200%
- CAT-LEAD Burglary
- ENR-MID 19,550
- FIRE-NONE No res filing
Nearest enrollment peer: Fullerton College (+0.10/1k)
Palomar College sheet RATE-QUIET · RANK-TOP · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-NONE · peer Fullerton College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-QUIET · RANK-TOP · ST-MID · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-NONE. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Fullerton College (+0.10/1k). National rank #189 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Palomar College reports 0.31 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 78% below Fullerton College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); Sinclair Community College (0.46/1k); Towson University (3.04/1k); St. John's University-New York (1.50/1k); Central New Mexico Community College (1.55/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Fullerton College (0.41/1k); City College of San Francisco (1.04/1k); Sacramento City College (0.25/1k); Sierra College (0.16/1k); Saddleback College (0.82/1k); San Joaquin Delta College (0.48/1k); Southwestern College (0.76/1k); College of the Canyons (0.17/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Palomar College
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Palomar on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Palomar College · this campus · lowest 0.31
Palomar College — this campus · lowest
0.31 per 1,000 students
- Fullerton College · near 0.41
Fullerton College — near
0.41 per 1,000 students
- Sinclair Community College · near 0.46
Sinclair Community College — near
0.46 per 1,000 students
- St. John's University-New York · near
St. John's University-New York — near
1.5 per 1,000 students
- Towson University · highest peer
Towson University — highest peer
3.04 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Palomar College's 0.31/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Palomar College decreased from 4 to 3 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 CA 2-year peers in this comparison, Palomar College is larger than 72% and safer-reporting than 72% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Palomar College: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura College | 12,222 | 0.25 | 0 | 81 |
| Santa Barbara City College | 12,334 | 0.57 | 3 | 44 |
| Merced College | 12,472 | 0.32 | 6 | 67 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | 12,519 | 1.36 | 8 | 8 |
| Chabot College | 12,842 | 1.09 | 11 | 11 |
| College of the Desert | 12,861 | 0.31 | 14 | 69 |
| Irvine Valley College | 13,018 | 0.23 | 17 | 83 |
| San Diego City College | 13,242 | 1.81 | 19 | 0 |
| San Bernardino Valley College | 14,055 | 1.00 | 22 | 22 |
| San Diego Miramar College | 14,257 | 0.42 | 25 | 56 |
| Grossmont College | 14,440 | 0.07 | 28 | 100 |
| Palomar College (this campus) | 19,550 | 0.31 | 72 | 72 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
Enrollment scale
How campus size shapes the safety figures
With 19,550 enrolled students, Palomar College is the 217th largest of the 5,585 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment, ahead of 5,368 of them. Closest same-state same-level scored peers by enrollment: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); City College of San Francisco (1.04/1k); Sacramento City College (0.25/1k); Sierra College (0.16/1k); Saddleback College (0.82/1k); San Joaquin Delta College (0.48/1k); Southwestern College (0.76/1k); College of the Canyons (0.17/1k). The score above normalizes 2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe (Fullerton College is the nearest similar-enrollment comparison on this profile).
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Palomar College fell from 4 to 3 (-25%). The increase shows up in Aggravated Assault (0 to 1) and Arson (0 to 1). Falling over the same period: Burglary (4 to 1).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Palomar College
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 3 Clery Act categories here: Burglary, Aggravated Assault and Arson. Burglary accounts for most of them.
The remaining 8 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Fondling, Incest, Motor Vehicle Theft and Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyPalomar College: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 200% (1 → 3 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fondling | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
36 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 6 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
Palomar College vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
CA
Fullerton College
0.41 incidents / 1,000 students
OH
Sinclair Community College
0.46 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Palomar College sits on price and outcomes
At $5,763, Palomar College's reported average net price is cheaper than 10% among 492 California colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $20,161.
- $5,763
- average net price
- $20,161
- California median
- $8,374
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $4,268, while those above $110,000 record $12,642 - roughly 3.0 times as much. A published average of $5,763 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Six years after enrolling, the median former student who received federal aid reports $37,220 - about 6.5 times one year of the reported net price here. On that ratio the cost is recovered quickly. Only 36% complete within six years. Most students here do not finish, which is the single most important number on this page for anyone weighing the cost.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $1,354
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $10,650
- Avg Net Price
- $5,763
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 18%
Outcomes
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $37,220
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $42,300
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 49%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 474 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Fullerton College
Fullerton, CA · 19,521 enrolled
Safety Score 0.41
Sinclair Community College
Dayton, OH · 19,415 enrolled
Safety Score 0.46
Towson University
Towson, MD · 19,401 enrolled
Safety Score 3.04
St. John's University-New York
Queens, NY · 19,389 enrolled
Safety Score 1.50
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, NM · 19,342 enrolled
Safety Score 1.55
Closest by National Rank
Palomar College (national rank #189) sits near Pima Community College (#190) and Cape Cod Community College (#188) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Palomar College, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Central New Mexico Community College
Albuquerque, NM · 19,342 enrolled
Safety score 1.55
Suffolk County Community College
Selden, NY · 19,973 enrolled
Safety score 0.35
Northwest Vista College
San Antonio, TX · 20,060 enrolled
Safety score 0.60
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY · 20,123 enrolled
Safety score 0.25
Montgomery College
Rockville, MD · 18,835 enrolled
Safety score 0.64
Johnson County Community College
Overland Park, KS · 18,743 enrolled
Safety score 0.27
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, NC · 20,375 enrolled
Safety score 0.15
Portland Community College
Portland, OR · 20,861 enrolled
Safety score 1.15
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ · 16,283 enrolled
Safety score 0.31
Cape Cod Community College
West Barnstable, MA · 3,260 enrolled
Safety score 0.31
John A Logan College
Carterville, IL · 3,224 enrolled
Safety score 0.31
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
Hanceville, AL · 6,424 enrolled
Safety score 0.31
Southside Virginia Community College
Alberta, VA · 3,306 enrolled
Safety score 0.30
Northeast Alabama Community College
Rainsville, AL · 3,208 enrolled
Safety score 0.31
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Kalamazoo, MI · 6,334 enrolled
Safety score 0.32
Gateway Technical College
Kenosha, WI · 10,100 enrolled
Safety score 0.30
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palomar College safe?
Palomar College has a safety score of 0.31 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #189 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Fullerton College (0.41/1k). Same-state same-level set: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); City College of San Francisco (1.04/1k); Sacramento City College (0.25/1k); Sierra College (0.16/1k); Saddleback College (0.82/1k); San Joaquin Delta College (0.48/1k); Southwestern College (0.76/1k); College of the Canyons (0.17/1k).
What crimes are reported at Palomar College?
For calendar year 2024, Palomar College reported Aggravated Assault (1), Arson (1) and Burglary (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Palomar College compare to similar schools?
Palomar College reports 78% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Fullerton College. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); Sinclair Community College (0.46/1k); Towson University (3.04/1k); St. John's University-New York (1.50/1k); Central New Mexico Community College (1.55/1k). Same-state same-level set: Fullerton College (0.41/1k); City College of San Francisco (1.04/1k); Sacramento City College (0.25/1k); Sierra College (0.16/1k); Saddleback College (0.82/1k); San Joaquin Delta College (0.48/1k); Southwestern College (0.76/1k); College of the Canyons (0.17/1k).
Does Palomar College have fire safety data?
Palomar College has no on-campus residential fire filing in this Clery release.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.