College of the Desert
College of the Desert is a Public, 2-4 years school located in Palm Desert, CA. It offers 124 vocational programs. You can check the detailed program information at offered programs page. The school is accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (1/1/1963 - Current).
Important Academic Statistics
Total 12,861 students attended College of the Desert in the academic year 2024-2025. There are 127 full-time faculties (instructional/teaching staffs) and 425 part-time faculties working for the school. The students to faculty ratio is 26 to 1. The number of non-teaching staffs is 383 (full-time) and 536 (part-time).
The graduation rate of College of the Desert is 31% and transfer-out rate is 5%. The retention rate is 70% at the school.
| Student Population | 12,861 |
|---|---|
| Graduation Rate | 31% |
| Number of Faculty | 552 |
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 26 to 1 |
2025 Costs of Attendance
The 2025 tuition & fees of College of the Desert is $10,174
. The amount is for the largest program and the tuition of other programs may differ from it.
65% of enrolled students have received grants and/or scholarships and the average amount of received financial aid is $4,786 (exclude student loans).
| Tuition & Fees | $10,174 |
|---|---|
| Average Financial Amount | $4,786 |
Offered Certificate Programs
College of the Desert offers 54 career programs for Less than 1-Year Certificate, 2 Years Certificate. The next table lists number of programs by offered program and online availability along with number of completers by certificate programs. Last year, 2,714 students have completed their career programs.
| Award Level | Total Number of Programs | Available Online Class | Number of Completers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1-Year Certificate | 38 | 7 | 1,388 |
| 2 Years Certificate | 16 | 4 | 1,313 |
| Total | 54 | 11 | 2,714 |
Vocational Programs and Completers
The vocational programs at College of the Desert are offered both in online and on-site education. Total 2,714 students have completed their vocational/technical programs last year.
- 1,388 students have earned/completed Less than 1-Year Certificate program.
- 1,313 students have earned/completed 1-2 Years Certificate program.
| Program | Available Online | Number of Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | ✕ | 9 completers |
| Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations | ✕ | 4 |
| Turf and Turfgrass Management | ✕ | 5 |
| Architecture | ✕ | 0 completers |
| Architectural Technology/Technician | ✕ | 0 |
| Personal and Culinary Services | ✕ | 0 completers |
| Cooking and Related Culinary Arts | ✕ | 0 |
| Education | ✕ | 83 completers |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching | ✕ | 83 |
| Teacher Assistant/Aide | ✕ | 0 |
| Engineering Technology | ✕ | 0 completers |
| Drafting and Design Technology/Technician | ✕ | 0 |
| Work and Family Studies | ✔ (1 completers) | 93 completers |
| Child Care and Support Services Management | ✔ | 11 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant | ✕ | 82 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, Humanities | ✔ (1 completers) | 1,075 completers |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies | ✔ | 1,075 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | ✕ | 0 completers |
| Digital Arts | ✕ | 0 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | ✔ (1 completers) | 34 completers |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling | ✔ | 18 |
| Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training | ✕ | 16 |
| Business | ✔ | 19 completers |
| Office Management and Supervision | ✕ | 6 |
| Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping | ✔ | 13 |
| Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science | ✕ | 0 |
| Total | 1,313 |
Enrollment Statistics
For academic year 2023-2024, total 12,861 students have enrolled into College of the Desert. By gender, 5,587 male and 7,274 female students are attending the school.
There are 1,891 White (14.70%), 306 Black/African American (2.38%), 9,509 Hispanic (73.94%), 341 Asian (2.65%), and 10,315 students with other races. 69 students are enrolled with non-resident alien status.
| Total | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 12,861 | 5,587 | 7,274 |
| American Indian/Native American | 37 | 14 | 23 |
| Asian | 341 | 157 | 184 |
| Black/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 More | 314 | 155 | 159 |
| Un-Known | 386 | 150 | 236 |
| Non-resident Alien | 69 | 44 | 25 |
Directory Information
- 43-500 Monterey Ave, Palm Desert, CA
- 760-346-8041
- School Website
- Admission Page
- Financial Aid Information
Similar Schools to College of the Desert
The following schools offer similar vocational programs that College of the Desert have. Compare those schools to College of the Desert with tuition, financial aid, offered career programs, and more academic facts.