College of the Desert

43-500 Monterey Ave
Palm Desert, CA 92260
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Tel: (760) 346-8041
SAVE SCHOOL
  • 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:

School Overview

  • The teacher population of 204 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
College of the Desert(CA) Community College Avg.
Institution LevelAt least 2 but less than 4 yearsAt least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution ControlPublicPublic
Total Faculty204 staff97 staff
This chart display total faculty of College of the Desert and community college average number of faculty in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.

Student Body

  • The student population of College of the Desert has stayed relatively flat over five years.
  • The student:teacher ratio of 48:1 has increased from 44:1 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 Enrollment9,719 students7,516 students
This chart display the total enrollment of College of the Desert and community college average number of enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio48:144:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of College of the Desert and community college average student staff ratio of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Full-Time Students3,613 students1,613 students
This chart display the total number of Full-Time students enrollment of College of the Desert and average number of community college Full-Time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Part-Time Students6,106 students5,903 students
This chart display the total number of Part-Time students enrollment of College of the Desert and average number of community college Part-Time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
This chart display the Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of College of the Desert. This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of CA.
% American Indian/Alaskan		--
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in College of the Desert and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
% Asian
4%
13%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in College of the Desert and the percentage of Asian community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Hispanic
58%
37%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in College of the Desert and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Black
2%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in College of the Desert and the percentage of Black community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% White
29%
32%
This chart display the percentage of White students in College of the Desert and the percentage of White community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Two or more races
1%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in College of the Desert and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Non Resident races
4%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in College of the Desert and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Unknown races
1%
5%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in College of the Desert. This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in CA.
Diversity Score0.580.73
This chart display the diversity score of College of the Desert and the community college average diversity score of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
College Completion Rate
23%
29%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of College of the Desert and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of CA by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)$34,600$34,600
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of College of the Desert and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of CA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Finances and Admission

  • 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
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of College of the Desert and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees$6,832$6,797
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of College of the Desert and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid78%78%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in College of the Desert and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in CA by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates$5,500$9,500
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in College of the Desert and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts$4,756$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in College of the Desert and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS

School Notes

  • 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.

Nearby Schools

  • The nearest community college to College of the Desert is Mayfield College (6.8 miles away).
  • College Location Mi. Students
  • Mayfield College
    Public
    509 students | 6.80 Mi35-325 Date Palm Drive
    Cathedral City,  CA  92234
    (760) 328-5554     6.80509
  • Copper Mountain Community College
    Public
    1,652 students | 30.50 Mi6162 Rotary Way
    Joshua Tree,  CA  92252
    (760) 366-3791     30.501,652
  • Mt San Jacinto Community College District
    Public
    14,580 students | 33.80 Mi1499 N. State St.
    San Jacinto,  CA  92583
    (951) 487-6752     33.8014,580
  • Crafton Hills College
    Public
    5,932 students | 45.90 Mi11711 Sand Canyon Road
    Forest Falls,  CA  92339
    (909) 794-2161     45.905,932
  • Professional Golfers Career College
    Private, for profit
    248 students | 46.50 Mi26109 Ynez Road
    Temecula,  CA  92591
    (800) 877-4380     46.50248
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Quick Stats (2021)
  • Students: 9,719 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,316
  • Out-state tuition: $6,832
  • Student:teacher ratio: 48:1
  • Minority enrollment: 71%
Related School Videos
Congratulations College of the Desert Class of 2020 1:16

Congratulations College of the Desert Class of 2020

College of the Desert Live Stream 54:48

College of the Desert Live Stream

College of the Desert Commencement 2018 32:29

College of the Desert Commencement 2018

SCFA Football Week 4: College of the Desert at Antelope Valley - 9/23 - 6pm 26:04

SCFA Football Week 4: College of the Desert at Antelope Valley - 9/23 - 6pm

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Related School News

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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.
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