College of the Desert is a public community college located in Palm Desert, CA. It offers 124 programs for degree/certificate. (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 of College of the Desert is $1,326 for California residents and $9,586 for out-of-state students. Its tuition & fees is cheaper than that of California public community colleges' average ($9,921).

The school has 10,382 students, which is higher than California community collleges' average (5,302). In addition, 4,078 students have enrolled online exclusively. The students to faculty ratio is 26 to 1, which is higher than the average ratio (21 to 1) of California community colleges.


2024 Tuition & Fees

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 tuition trends over the last 5 years. 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
Tuition Comparison to National and State Average
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. The following table summarizes the number of offered programs by degree types.

Offered Programs and Online Availability
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor's
Online Programs1129NOT OFFERED
Total Programs5470NOT OFFERED

The following tables list each major program along with offered degrees and online availability. The number in each column indicates the number of awarded degrees and/or certificates of the program. It includes completers through on-campus classes, partially online classes, and only online classes.

CertificateAssociateBachelor
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business OperationsNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Crop ProductionNOT OFFERED 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations4 completers
5 completers
NOT OFFERED
Turf and Turfgrass Management5 completers
6 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Natural Resources/ConservationNOT OFFERED 4 completers
NOT OFFERED
Environmental ScienceNOT OFFERED 2 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Architectural Technology/Technician2 completers
3 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Area Studies (other)NOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Speech Communication and RhetoricNOT OFFERED 23 completers
NOT OFFERED
Mass Communication/Media StudiesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
JournalismNOT OFFERED 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
Radio and TelevisionNOT OFFERED 16 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Photographic and Film/Video Technology/Technician and AssistantNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Recording Arts Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Information TechnologyNOT OFFERED 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
Computer ScienceNOT OFFERED 24 completers
NOT OFFERED
Computer GraphicsNOT OFFERED 12 completers
NOT OFFERED
Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsNOT OFFERED 13 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Cooking and Related Culinary Arts 3 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education ProgramsNOT OFFERED 17 completers
NOT OFFERED
Elementary Education and TeachingNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Early Childhood Education and Teaching NOT OFFERED
Teacher Assistant/Aide2 completers
NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Pre-EngineeringNOT OFFERED 2 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Spanish Language and LiteratureNOT OFFERED 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness StudiesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
Human Development and Family StudiesNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Child Care and Support Services Management6 completers
NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Child Care Provider/Assistant26 completers
43 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Legal Administrative Assistant/SecretaryNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
English Language and LiteratureNOT OFFERED 14 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies841 completers
13 completers
NOT OFFERED
Humanities/Humanistic StudiesNOT OFFERED 102 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Biology/Biological SciencesNOT OFFERED 16 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
MathematicsNOT OFFERED 12 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Biological and Physical SciencesNOT OFFERED 27 completers
NOT OFFERED
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies (other)NOT OFFERED 25 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Health and Physical Education/FitnessNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Kinesiology and Exercise ScienceNOT OFFERED 21 completers
NOT OFFERED
Physical Fitness TechnicianNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
PhilosophyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
ChemistryNOT OFFERED 5 completers
NOT OFFERED
Geology/Earth ScienceNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
PhysicsNOT OFFERED 8 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
PsychologyNOT OFFERED 145 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement AdministrationNOT OFFERED 65 completers
NOT OFFERED
Criminal Justice/Police ScienceNOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 9 completers
NOT OFFERED
Fire Science/Fire-fightingNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Social SciencesNOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
AnthropologyNOT OFFERED 7 completers
NOT OFFERED
EconomicsNOT OFFERED 7 completers
NOT OFFERED
GeographyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Political Science and GovernmentNOT OFFERED 18 completers
NOT OFFERED
SociologyNOT OFFERED 45 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/InspectorNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Building/Construction Site Management/ManagerNOT OFFERED 4 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/TechnicianNOT OFFERED 11 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Visual and Performing ArtsNOT OFFERED 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
Digital Arts NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Commercial PhotographyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Graphic DesignNOT OFFERED 5 completers
NOT OFFERED
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre ArtsNOT OFFERED 7 completers
NOT OFFERED
Cinematography and Film/Video ProductionNOT OFFERED 3 completers
NOT OFFERED
Art/Art StudiesNOT OFFERED 19 completers
NOT OFFERED
MusicNOT OFFERED 3 completers
NOT OFFERED
Music TechnologyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Medical Administrative/Executive Assistant and Medical SecretaryNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Pharmacy Technician/AssistantNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Athletic Training/TrainerNOT OFFERED 2 completers
NOT OFFERED
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (other)NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling10 completers
3 completers
NOT OFFERED
Registered Nursing/Registered NurseNOT OFFERED 83 completers
NOT OFFERED
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 6 completers
NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
Business/CommerceNOT OFFERED 15 completers
NOT OFFERED
Business Administration and ManagementNOT OFFERED 138 completers
NOT OFFERED
Office Management and Supervision NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Retail ManagementNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping8 completers
9 completers
NOT OFFERED
Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Hospitality Administration/ManagementNOT OFFERED 1 completers
NOT OFFERED
Sales, Distribution, and Marketing OperationsNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (other)NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
CertificateAssociateBachelor
HistoryNOT OFFERED 11 completers
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) Enrollment

Of the 10,382 total students, 7,646 students enrolled through distance learning (4,078 students enrolled exclusively and 3,568 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

School Profile and Academic Overview

The following table shows directory information and summarizes important academic and admission characteristics for College of the Desert.

Directory Information and Key Academic Statistics
Type2-4 year, 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%)