College of the Desert vs. California Indian Nations College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than California Indian Nations College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 154 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); California Indian Nations College is in Palm Desert, California (Small City setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. California Indian Nations College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; California Indian Nations College 6:1.

College of the Desert vs. California Indian Nations College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or California Indian Nations College? 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 California Indian Nations College than College of the Desert ($17,737 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Indian Nations College are 18.7% lower than at College of the Desert ($20,446 vs. $25,151).
• California Indian Nations College is 483.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $6,417 more per year; $7,743.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.4% higher at College of the Desert than at California Indian Nations College (about $2,431 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $7,743.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Indian Nations College than at College of the Desert (100% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 27.3% larger than aid received by California Indian Nations College students ($6,822 vs. $5,360).

College of the Desert vs. California Indian Nations College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or California Indian Nations College? 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 California Indian Nations College and College of the Desert.

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

College of the Desert vs. California Indian Nations College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and California Indian Nations College? 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 have median earnings of about $35,100 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for California Indian Nations College.

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.