College of the Desert
A good fit for in-state California residents. graduation rate is below 40%. a public school with 10,207 students.
About This School
College of the Desert is a public institution located in Palm Desert, California with approximately 10,207 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $15,728 per year. The graduation rate is 30%, and the typical graduate earns $36,700 within 10 years of enrollment.
College of the Desert (COD) is a public community college in Palm Desert, California. COD enrolls about 12,500 students, of which around one third attend college full-time. It serves the Coachella Valley of Riverside County. The college is federally recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), receiving Title V grants.
Worth considering if you're looking for an affordable path to transfer or a vocational credential in the Coachella Valley, especially given its strong support for Hispanic and first-generation students through Title V funding. However, the median earnings of $36,700 ten years after enrollment are modest, so be intentional about which program you choose — outcomes vary significantly by field. With about two-thirds of students attending part-time, this school works best for those who can stay focused and build a clear plan toward transfer or a specific career.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 4% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
College of the Desert graduates earn most above the national rate in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($106,782 vs $80,813 nationally), and most below it in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants ($40,391 vs $62,755).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 145 | $39,201 | $39,288 | −$87 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 138 | $52,620 | $48,733 | +$3,887 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 115 | $45,349 | $44,125 | +$1,224 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 83 | $106,782 | $80,813 | +$25,969 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 66 | $44,704 | $46,706 | −$2,002 |
| Sociology | 45 | $35,465 | $44,144 | −$8,679 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 27 | $59,719 | $50,181 | +$9,538 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 24 | $47,357 | $43,243 | +$4,114 |
| History | 11 | $49,234 | $38,929 | +$10,305 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 6 | $40,391 | $62,755 | −$22,364 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (10,207 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
College of the Desert is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does College of the Desert cost?
The average net price at College of the Desert is about $15,728 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at College of the Desert?
College of the Desert has a graduation rate of 30%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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