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 9,852 students (21% of students are full-time).

The college's student:teacher ratio of 38:1 is higher than the state community college average of 37:1.

Minority enrollment is 82% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 68%.

Palo Alto College places among the top 20% of community colleges in Texas for:

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

	Palo Alto College	(TX) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification	Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Nontraditional	Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges
Institution Level	At least 2 but less than 4 years	At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control	Public	Public
Total Faculty	257 staff	121 staff

The student population of Palo Alto College has grown by 17% over five years.

The student:teacher ratio of 38:1 has decreased from 40:1 over five years.

The Palo Alto College diversity score of 0.45 is less than the state average of 0.70. The school's diversity has grown by 5% over five years.

Total Enrollment	9,852 students	4,620 students

Student : Teacher Ratio	38:1	37:1

# Full-Time Students	2,075 students	1,302 students

# Part-Time Students	7,777 students	3,318 students


% Asian	1%	5%

% Hispanic	72%	42%

% Black	4%	13%

% White	18%	32%

% Two or more races	2%	2%

% Non Resident races	2%	2%
% Unknown races	1%	4%

Diversity Score	0.45	0.70

College Completion Rate	25%	23%

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

The public in-state tuition of $5,550 is more than the state average of $3,572. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.

The public out-state tuition of $10,740 is more than the state average of $5,976. The out-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.

In-State Tuition Fees	$5,550	$3,572

Out-State Tuition Fees	$10,740	$5,976

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid	86%	83%

Median Debt for Graduates	$9,000	$10,500

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

Source: 2019 (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).