College of the Desert

College of the Desert is a public community college located in Palm Desert, CA. It offers 124 programs through Certificate and Associate's programs. (Of that, the distance learning opportunity (online degrees/courses) is given to 40 programs). It is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
The 2024 tuition & fees are $1,326 for California residents and $9,586 for out-of-state students at College of the Desert. Its tuition & fees are cheaper than the average costs ($9,921) of public community colleges in California.
It has 10,382 students that are higher than the average population (5,302 students) of community colleges in California. In addition, 4,078 students have enrolled online exclusively. The student to faculty ratio is 26 to 1 which is higher than the average ratio (21 to 1) of California community colleges. The average earning after 10 years of graduation from the school is $36,700.

Academic Overview

College of the Desert is a 2-4 years, public school located in Palm Desert, California.
For the academic year 2023-2024, the tuition & fees are $1,326 for California residents and $9,586 for other students on average. It offers 124 degree programs through 54 Certificate, 70 Associate's programs. Of that, the distance learning opportunity is given to 40 programs (11 Certificate, 29 Associate's programs).
Directory Information and Key Academic Statistics
Type2-4 years, public
Address43-500 Monterey Ave, Palm Desert, CA
Phone760-346-8041
Tuition & Fees (2023-2024) »In-State$1,326
Out-of-State$9,586
Student Population »10,382 Total Enrollment
Graduation Rate »27%
Transfer-out Rate5%
Retention Rate64% (Full-time)
41% (Part-time)
Average Financial Aid »$5,203
Students to Faculty26:1 (3.85%)
Average Earning After 10 years of graduation$36,700

2024 Tuition & Fees

The 2024 tuition & fees are $1,326 for California residents and $9,586 for out-of-state students at College of the Desert. Its tuition & fees are cheaper than the average tuition ($9,921) over public community colleges in California.
The following table shows the 2023-2024 tuition & fees, books & supplies, and living costs at College of the Desert. Then, we compare its costs to California community colleges and all U.S. community colleges. In addition, the chart shows the changes in tuition over the last 5 years.
Each cost is an average amount over the offered programs at the school. You can check more comprehensive tuition information on the cost of attendance page.
2024 Cost Of Attendance
California ResidentsOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees$1,326$9,586
Books & Supplies$938
Off-Campus Living Costs$30,393
Average Financial Aid$5,203
Cost of Attendance$32,657$40,917
After Financial Aid$27,454$35,714
Average Earning After 10 years of graduation$36,700
2024 Tuition & Fees and Comparison
California ResidentsOut-of-State Students
College of the Desert$1,326$9,586
Public Community Colleges in California$1,610$9,921
Public Community Colleges in U.S.$4,992$8,639

Offered Degrees/Programs By Area of Study

College of the Desert offers Certificate and Associate's programs. Of that, 40 programs can be conferred by distance learning - 11 Certificate, 29 Associate's. The following table summarizes the number of offered programs by degree types.
Total Number of Programs
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor's
Online Programs1129NOT OFFERED
Total Programs5470NOT OFFERED
The next tables list major programs with offered degrees and online availability. The number on each column denotes the conferred degree of the program.
The numbers include completers through on-campus classes and partially online classes as well as only online classes. Only in Classroom means that the program is offered only on-site classes and not offered denotes that the school does not offer the program.
You may want to see all schools offering a major program by following the link on the title of the program.
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business OperationsNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Crop ProductionNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations4 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
5 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Turf and Turfgrass Management5 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
6 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Natural Resources/ConservationNOT OFFERED 4 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Environmental ScienceNOT OFFERED 2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Architectural Technology/Technician2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
3 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Area Studies (other)NOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Speech Communication and RhetoricNOT OFFERED 23 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Mass Communication/Media StudiesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
JournalismNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Radio and TelevisionNOT OFFERED 16 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Information TechnologyNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Computer ScienceNOT OFFERED 24 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Computer GraphicsNOT OFFERED 12 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsNOT OFFERED 13 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Cooking and Related Culinary ArtsNOT OFFERED 3 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education ProgramsNOT OFFERED 17 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Elementary Education and TeachingNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Early Childhood Education and TeachingNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Teacher Assistant/Aide2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Pre-EngineeringNOT OFFERED 2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 3 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Drafting and Design Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Energy Management and Systems Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Spanish Language and LiteratureNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness StudiesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Human Development and Family StudiesNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Child Care and Support Services Management6 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Child Care Provider/Assistant26 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
43 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
English Language and LiteratureNOT OFFERED 14 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies841 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
13 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Humanities/Humanistic StudiesNOT OFFERED 102 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Biology/Biological SciencesNOT OFFERED 16 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
MathematicsNOT OFFERED 12 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Biological and Physical SciencesNOT OFFERED 27 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies (other)NOT OFFERED 25 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Health and Physical Education/FitnessNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Kinesiology and Exercise ScienceNOT OFFERED 21 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
PhilosophyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
ChemistryNOT OFFERED 5 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Geology/Earth ScienceNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
PhysicsNOT OFFERED 8 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
PsychologyNOT OFFERED 145 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement AdministrationNOT OFFERED 65 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Criminal Justice/Police ScienceNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 9 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Social SciencesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
AnthropologyNOT OFFERED 7 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
EconomicsNOT OFFERED 7 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
GeographyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Political Science and GovernmentNOT OFFERED 18 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
SociologyNOT OFFERED 45 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Building/Construction Site Management/ManagerNOT OFFERED 4 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 11 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Visual and Performing ArtsNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Digital ArtsNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Graphic DesignNOT OFFERED 5 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre ArtsNOT OFFERED 7 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Cinematography and Film/Video ProductionNOT OFFERED 3 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Art/Art StudiesNOT OFFERED 19 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
MusicNOT OFFERED 3 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Athletic Training/TrainerNOT OFFERED 2 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (other)NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling10 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
3 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Registered Nursing/Registered NurseNOT OFFERED 83 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse TrainingNOT OFFERED 6 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
Business/CommerceNOT OFFERED 15 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Business Administration and ManagementNOT OFFERED 138 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Office Management and SupervisionNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping8 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
9 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
Administrative Assistant and Secretarial ScienceNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Hospitality Administration/ManagementNOT OFFERED 1 completers
ONLY IN CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociatesBachelors
HistoryNOT OFFERED 11 completers
ONLINE / CLASSROOM
NOT OFFERED

Student Population

There are 10,382 students at College of the Desert including both full-time and part-time students. By gender, 4,205 male students and 6,024 female students are attending the school.
The following table shows the total number of students by gender and attending status at the school. You can check more enrollment information of the school.
Student Population
TotalFull-TimePart-time
Total10,2293,7276,502
Male Students4,2051,5672,638
Female Students6,0242,1603,864

Distance Learning (Online Degree/Program) Student Population

At College of the Desert, there are 10,382 students including in both full-time and part-time status. Of that, 7,646 students were attending classes through distance learning (4,078 students are enrolled exclusively and 3,568 are enrolled in some online courses) .
Distance Learning Enrollment Distribution
Total Enrollment10,382
Enrolled Exclusively in Online Courses4,078
Enrolled in Some But Not All Online Courses3,568
Not Enrolled In Any Online Courses2,736

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