College of the Desert
Public certificate school in Palm Desert, CA that costs an average of $17,769 a year after financial aid and graduates 33% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$17,769
Acceptance rate
Open
Graduation rate
33%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$44,228
PublicSmall city10,207 undergraduates
Cost of College of the Desert
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $24,207 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $1,326 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $10,734 |
| Books and supplies | $1,089 |
| Average net price after aid | $17,769 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $17,315 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $17,223 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $18,397 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $20,629 |
| $110,001+ | $19,565 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with College of the Desert's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | Open admission (everyone admitted) |
|---|
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 33% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 70% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $37,850 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $44,228 |
| Rank in California (earnings) | 82nd of 224 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $8,750 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $99 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 38% |
| Students with federal loans | 0.9% |
Majors and programs at College of the Desert
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Certificate programs (44)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 34 | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 22 | — | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 49 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 7 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 83 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 2 | — | — |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | 14 | — | — |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 23 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 16 | — | — |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 22 | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 28 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 23 | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 62 | — | — |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 37 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 1 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 65 | — | — |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 316 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 31 | — | — |
| Fire Protection | 57 | — | — |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 8 | — | — |
| Graphic Communications | — | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | — | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 1 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 478 | — | — |
| Legal Support Services | 2 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1,916 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 29 | — | — |
| Music | 10 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 23 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 1 | — | — |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 16 | — | — |
| Precision Metal Working | 8 | — | — |
| Public Health | 1 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 3 | — | — |
| Real Estate | — | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 45 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 349 | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants/Aides | 2 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 120 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (67)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 180 | $99,505 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 279 | $42,520 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 305 | $41,070 | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 125 | $38,801 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 124 | $32,697 | — |
| Psychology | 285 | $28,851 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 23 | — | — |
| Agricultural Business and Management | — | — | — |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 12 | — | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 13 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 7 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 21 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 19 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 10 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 57 | — | — |
| Biology | 33 | — | — |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 8 | — | — |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant Services | 1 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 30 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 13 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 50 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 41 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 17 | — | — |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 47 | — | — |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 7 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 7 | — | — |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 13 | — | — |
| Economics | 13 | — | — |
| Education | 2 | — | — |
| Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians | 2 | — | — |
| Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 41 | — | — |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 7 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 3 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 36 | — | — |
| Fire Protection | 12 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 2 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 1 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 259 | — | — |
| History | 28 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 5 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 98 | — | — |
| Journalism | 9 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 23 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 13 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 41 | — | — |
| Music | 7 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 11 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | 4 | — | — |
| Physics | 19 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 38 | — | — |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 17 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 24 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 9 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Sociology | 99 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 36 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 42 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 46 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 20 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 9 | — | — |
Similar colleges in California
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced College | Merced | $714 | — | $43,058 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles | $3,531 | — | $42,277 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | $2,851 | — | $64,467 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | $9,873 | — | $53,180 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | $1,096 | — | $43,147 |
| Citrus College | Glendora | $850 | — | $46,835 |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | $7,478 | — | $46,096 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | $3,975 | — | $46,603 |
About College of the Desert
| Type | Public certificate school |
|---|---|
| Location | Palm Desert, CA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 10,207 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 26 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
| Website | collegeofthedesert.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
How much does College of the Desert cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $24,207 a year (tuition and fees: $1,326 in-state, $10,734 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $17,769 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $17,315.
How much do College of the Desert graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $44,228 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 82nd of 224 similar colleges in California.
What is College of the Desert's graduation rate?
33% of full-time students graduate within 150% of the normal program length, and 70% of first-year students return for a second year.