College of the Desert vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

College of the Desert vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or CSM? 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 San Mateo than College of the Desert ($5,831 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 19.6% lower than at College of San Mateo ($25,151 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 0.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $6 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.9% higher at CSM than at College of the Desert (about $1,210 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at College of San Mateo (88% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 55.5% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,822 vs. $4,386).

College of the Desert vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or CSM? 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 CSM 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; CSM - Open admission.

College of the Desert vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and CSM? 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 San Mateo earn a median of about $9,700 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $1,662 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($5,338 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($55 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (58% 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.