Barstow Community College vs. College of the Desert

Comparable Facts

Compare Barstow Community College in Barstow, CA with College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of the Desert is larger than Barstow Community College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 3,226 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Barstow Community College is located in Barstow, CA (Distant Town setting); College of the Desert is in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting).
• Barstow Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Barstow Community College 26:1; College of the Desert 26:1.

Barstow Community College vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Barstow Community College or College of the Desert? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Barstow Community College than College of the Desert ($14,048 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Barstow Community College are 12.2% lower than at College of the Desert ($22,086 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 20.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Barstow Community College (about $222 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,104.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.4% higher at College of the Desert than at Barstow Community College (about $430 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $9,744.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Barstow Community College than at College of the Desert (91% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Barstow Community College students is 15.3% larger than aid received by College of the Desert students ($7,866 vs. $6,822).

Barstow Community College vs. College of the Desert Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Barstow Community College or College of the Desert? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between College of the Desert and Barstow Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Barstow Community College - Open admission; College of the Desert - Open admission.

Barstow Community College vs. College of the Desert Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Barstow Community College and College of the Desert? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from College of the Desert earn a median of about $200 more per year than Barstow Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.