College of the Desert

43-500 Monterey Ave
Palm Desert, CA 92260

Tel: (760) 346-8041

COD is a two-year, public institution that provides lower division academic, vocational, and basic skills education. We are a successful college because we make decisions based on a systematic assessment of the needs of the community and the application of our core values.

School Highlights

College of the Desert serves 9,719 students (37% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 48:1 is higher than the state community college average of 44:1.
Minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 68%.
College of the Desert is one of 7 community colleges within Riverside County, CA.
The nearest community college to College of the Desert is Mayfield College (6.8 miles away).

Top Placements

College of the Desert places among the top 20% of community colleges in California for:

The teacher population of 204 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.

The student population of College of the Desert has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 48:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The College of the Desert diversity score of 0.58 is less than the state average of 0.73. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.

Total Enrollment	9,719 students	7,516 students

Student : Teacher Ratio	48:1	44:1

# Full-Time Students	3,613 students	1,613 students

# Part-Time Students	6,106 students	5,903 students


% American Indian/Alaskan	-	-

% Asian	4%	13%

% Hispanic	58%	37%

% Black	2%	7%

% White	29%	32%

% Two or more races	1%	3%

% Non Resident races	4%	3%

% Unknown races	1%	5%

Diversity Score	0.58	0.73

College Completion Rate	23%	29%

Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)	$34,600	$34,600

The public in-state tuition of $1,316 is less than the state average of $1,636. The in-state tuition has grown by 27% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,832 is more than the state average of $6,797. The out-state tuition has grown by 16% over four years.

In-State Tuition Fees	$1,316	$1,636

Out-State Tuition Fees	$6,832	$6,797

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid	78%	78%

Median Debt for Graduates	$5,500	$9,500

Median Debt for Dropouts	$4,756	$5,500

Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS

College of the Desert offers two types of academic tracks; (1) lower division transfer courses required for most majors and professions at four-year universities or colleges and, (2) a wide variety of curricular offerings designed to meet the needs of those preparing for immediate employment, for those who are currently employed and need to upgrade their skills, or for those who are interested in a job retraining program and personal development.The Center for Training and Development provides a variety of unique programs and services designed to assist in the growth and stability of both area businesses and the College itself.The Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts is a nonprofit cultural and educational facility located on College of the Desert's campus. Committed to educational excellence, The Marks Center provides a venue for artistic exploration, experimentation and research. Traditional formats of painting, drawing, sculpture ceramics, photography and printmaking are complemented by contemporary applications in papermaking, book arts, performance and installation arts. College of the Desert is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.

The nearest community college to College of the Desert is Mayfield College (6.8 miles away).

Related School Videos

Related School News

Online summer classes begin at College of the Desert
posted on June 22, 2020 at 07:42:00 pm
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Where are they now? We tracked down the valley's biggest football stars of this decade
posted on December 6, 2019 at 08:48:00 pm
He has not yet played football in college and friends say he is attending College of the Desert. Solomon was perhaps the most versatile and skilled defensive player in the ...
Meet the local football players suiting up for College of the Desert this year
posted on September 5, 2019 at 06:15:00 pm
College of the Desert begins the 2019 football season Saturday at home against Pasadena City College, and at least a dozen ...

Did You Know?

For California public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $1,636 per year for in-state students and $6,797 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $19,157 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in California is 86%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

California community colleges have a diversity score of 0.73, which is higher than the national average of 0.65. The most diverse community college in California is Coastline Community College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.