Palo Alto College

1400 W Villaret Blvd
San Antonio, TX 78224

Tel: (210) 486-3000

As a public comprehensive community college, Palo Alto College provides exemplary, accessible education and training to a diverse and aspiring community. The College educates, nurtures, and inspires students through a dynamic and supportive learning environment, which promotes the intellectual, cultural, economic and social life of the community.

School Highlights

Palo Alto College serves 8,376 students (18% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 33:1 is lower than the state community college average of 35:1.
Minority enrollment is 77% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 61%.
Palo Alto College is one of 11 community colleges within Bexar County, TX.
The nearest community college to Palo Alto College is St Philip's College (8.4 miles away).

School Overview

The teacher population of 257 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.

The student population of Palo Alto College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 33:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The Palo Alto College diversity score of 0.43 is less than the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.

Total Enrollment	8,376 students	3,921 students

Student : Teacher Ratio	33:1	35:1

# Full-Time Students	1,533 students	1,055 students

# Part-Time Students	6,843 students	2,866 students


% Asian	-	4%

% Hispanic	72%	37%

% Black	3%	13%

% White	23%	39%

% Two or more races	2%	2%


Diversity Score	0.43	0.69

College Completion Rate	16%	21%

Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)	$31,300	$33,800

The public in-state tuition of $5,550 is more than the state average of $4,026. The in-state tuition has grown by 52% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $10,740 is more than the state average of $6,207. The out-state tuition has grown by 53% over four years.

In-State Tuition Fees	$5,550	$4,026

Out-State Tuition Fees	$10,740	$6,207

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid	80%	83%

Median Debt for Graduates	$8,500	$9,500

Median Debt for Dropouts	$5,500	$5,015

Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS

The college was founded in 1985 with the mission of providing higher education in the Southside with the goal of transferring students as well as preparing them for the workforce. In the past 20 years, we have excelled in our transfer programs. We are the community college that has the highest transfer rate in the State of Texas for Hispanics. The average transfer rate for Hispanic students in Texas is 8.9% - at Palo Alto College it is 38% for Hispanics. Palo Alto College offers general, transfer, and technical education; basic skills development and comprehensive literacy programs; continuing education and community outreach; student success and support programs; instructional technologies and distance education; library information resources and institutional research, planning, development and evaluation. In the workforce areas, we have added new programs in Academic Computer Technology, Aviation Management, Criminal Justice, Environmental Studies, Electro-Mechanical Technology, Health Professions, Logistics, Nursing, Teacher Education, and Turfgrass Management. Palo Alto College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees and by Committee on Animal Technician Activities and Training of the Amercian Veterinary Medical Association. Its programs are approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Federal Aviation Agency, and the American Society of Transportation and Logistics.

The nearest community college to Palo Alto College is St Philip's College (8.4 miles away).

Related School Videos

Related School News

Column: Serving students beyond the classroom
posted on October 7, 2020 at 06:03:20 am
That’s why, in 2015, Palo Alto College surveyed its students to better understand the types of obstacles that inhibit their academic success. ...
Palo Alto College Becomes Second Texas College to Offer Winemaking Degree
posted on January 23, 2020 at 12:47:00 pm
In their own Field of Dreams moment, Palo Alto College administrators envisioned a future for an empty field adjacent to a community garden on their South Side campus. They ...
GOOD WORKS SA: Palo Alto College debuts marching mariachis as part of fundraising celebration of family
posted on October 25, 2019 at 10:00:00 am
“It was this family commitment to higher education made possible at our local community college that changed all of our lives,” said Garza, who today is president of ...

Did You Know?

For Texas public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,026 per year for in-state students and $6,207 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $13,730 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in Texas is 74%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

Texas community colleges have a diversity score of 0.69, which is higher than the national average of 0.65. The most diverse community college in Texas is Houston Community College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.