College of Alameda vs. College of the Desert

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, 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 College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 6,141 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of the Desert is in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; College of the Desert 26:1.

College of Alameda vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda 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 College of Alameda than College of the Desert ($12,506 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Alameda are 9.3% lower than at College of the Desert ($22,820 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 5.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of Alameda (about $68 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.8% higher at College of the Desert than at College of Alameda (about $276 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at College of Alameda (88% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 26.7% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($6,822 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. College of the Desert Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or College of the Desert? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between College of the Desert and College of Alameda.

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

College of Alameda vs. College of the Desert Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and College of the Desert? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from College of Alameda earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Alameda students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 30%)

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.