Butte College vs. College of the Desert

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, 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 Butte College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); College of the Desert is in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting).
• Butte 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: Butte College 21:1; College of the Desert 26:1.

Butte College vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte 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 Butte College than College of the Desert ($9,112 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 28.9% lower than at College of the Desert ($17,894 vs. $25,151).
• Butte College is 2.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $30 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.7% higher at College of the Desert than at Butte College (about $898 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Butte College as at College of the Desert (88% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 2.2% larger than aid received by Butte College students ($6,822 vs. $6,677).

Butte College vs. College of the Desert Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte 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 Butte College.

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

Butte College vs. College of the Desert Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte 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 Butte College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $8,640 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($5,338 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $89 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($55 vs. $144).
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 32%)

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.