College of the Desert
College of the Desert is a Public, 2-4 years located in Palm Desert, CA. College of the Desert is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
- The 2025 tuition & fees of College of the Desert is $1,326 for California residents and $10,174 for out-of-state residents where the average tuition & fees of all community colleges is $8,737.
- The tuition & fees has increased by 6.13% from last year at C of the Desert.
- Total 12,861 students have enrolled in C of the Desert and, of that, 4,122 students enrolled online exclusively.
- C of the Desert offers 151 programs and 18 programs are available in online classes.
- The graduation rate of C of the Desert is 31% where the average graduation rate of all community colleges is 40.6%.
2025 Tuition & fees & Increase Rate
The 2025 tuition & fees at College of the Desert is $1,326 for California residents and $10,174 for out-of-state students. The tuition & fees has increased by 6.13% from last year. The next table shows the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over last 5 years.
You can check and view more costs information including living costs, books & supplies, and tuition per credit hour at Cost of Attendance page
| Year | California Residents | Out-of-State Students |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,383 | $8,943 |
| 2022 | $1,326 | $8,970 |
| 2023 | $1,326 | $9,138 |
| 2024 | $1,326 | $9,586 |
| 2025 | $1,326 | $10,174 |
Offered Degrees and Major Programs
College of the Desert offers 124 major programs through 1 Year Certificate, 1-2 Years Certificate, Associate, degrees/programs. Of that, 40 programs are offered via distance learning (online classes).
You can view all major programs offered at College of the Desert at Area of Study & Major Program page with completer and earning after graduation information.
| Number of Programs | Number of Online Programs | |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | 70 | 29 |
| 1-2 Years certificates | 16 | 4 |
| Total | 124 | 40 |
| Program Name | Number of Completers |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | 841 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant | 26 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling | 10 |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping | 8 |
| Program Name | Number of Completers |
|---|---|
| Psychology | 145 |
| Business Administration and Management | 138 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 130 |
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies | 102 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 83 |
Student Population
Total 12,861 students have enrolled to College of the Desert. By gender, there are 5,587 male and 7,274 female students are attending the school. The male to female ratio is 0.77 to 1.
College of the Desert offers online degree/certificate programs and 4,122 students enrolled in online programs. You can check and view more student population by gender, race, age, and online enrollment at enrollment data page
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 37 | 14 | 23 |
| Asian | 341 | 157 | 184 |
| Black or African American | 306 | 143 | 163 |
| Hispanic | 9,509 | 3,926 | 5,583 |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| White | 1,891 | 993 | 898 |
| Two or More Races | 314 | 155 | 159 |
| Race/Ethnicity Unknown | 386 | 150 | 236 |
| Total | 12,861 | 5,587 | 7,274 |
Important Academic Statistics
The graduation rate at College of the Desert is 31% and the transfer-out rate is 5%. The average financial aid amount is $4,786 and 65% of students received grant aid (any source). The next table shows the important statistics at the school.
| Graduation Rate | 31% |
|---|---|
| Transfer-out Rate | 5% |
| Retention Rate | 70% |
| Financial Aid Amount | $4,786 |
| Students to Faculty Ratio | 26 to 1 |
| Number of Faculty (full-time) | 127 |
| Number of Staff (full-time) | 383 |