College of the Desert

Palm Desert, CA · Public · www.collegeofthedesert.edu/ ↗

College of the Desert is a public college in Palm Desert, California, located in a small city. It enrolls 10,207 undergraduate degree-seeking students and mostly awards certificates. By number of certificate degrees awarded, its largest programs are Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities; Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services; and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

College of the Desert at a glance

Undergraduate enrollment
10,207
Similar schools: 878
Average net priceiAverage sticker price minus typical grants and scholarships: the amount most students actually pay out-of-pocket plus loans.
$17,769
Similar schools: $8,761
Median earnings (10 yrs)iMedian earnings of students 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled in further schooling.
$44,228
Similar schools: $42,807
Median debt at graduationiMedian federal student-loan balance carried by students who graduated. Doesn't include Parent PLUS or private loans.
$8,750
Similar schools: $9,750

What the data shows about College of the Desert

Comparisons below use the medians for the 662 public schools that mostly award certificates in the College Scorecard. Its average net price is $17,769 a year, higher than the $8,761 median for similar schools. Ten years after enrolling, former students who are working earn a median of $44,228, about the same as the $42,807 median for similar schools. Graduates leave with a median of $8,750 in federal student loans (similar-school median: $9,750).