College of the Canyons vs. College of the Desert

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, 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 Canyons is larger than College of the Desert based on total student enrollment (18,075 students vs. 12,861 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Canyons is located in Santa Clarita, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); College of the Desert is in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting).
• College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons 25:1; College of the Desert 26:1.

College of the Canyons vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons than College of the Desert ($5,760 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Canyons are 12.2% lower than at College of the Desert ($22,086 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 13.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Canyons (about $160 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,166.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.7% higher at College of the Canyons than at College of the Desert (about $784 more per year; $10,958.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at College of the Canyons (88% vs. 83%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 48.4% larger than aid received by College of the Canyons students ($6,822 vs. $4,597).

College of the Canyons vs. College of the Desert Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons.

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

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

How do outcomes compare for College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons earn a median of about $11,900 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,000 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $4,859 lower median loan debt than College of the Canyons graduates ($5,338 vs. $10,197).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of the Canyons graduates ($55 vs. $105).
• More College of the Canyons graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (36% vs. 35%)

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.