College of the Desert vs. Grossmont College

Should I go to College of the Desert or Grossmont College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if College of the Desert or Grossmont College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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College of the Desert vs. Grossmont College comparison
College of the Desert Grossmont College College 3 College 4
College of the Desert Grossmont College
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Overview

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Location Palm Desert, CA El Cajon, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 10,382 12,862
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website collegeofthedesert.edu grossmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,100 $9,800
Room & Board $17,784 $14,800
Avg Net Price $13,704 $6,651
Avg Grant Aid $6,758 $5,465
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 64%

Admission

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (26%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (10%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (4%)

Outcomes

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,100 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,338 $4,500
Median Loan Payment $55 $46

Diversity

College of the Desert Grossmont College
% Men 42% 41%
% Women 58% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 20% 41%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 68% 33%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

College of the Desert Grossmont College
% In-State 95% 94%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

College of the Desert Grossmont College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Grossmont College is larger than than College of the Desert based on total student enrollment (12,862 students vs. 10,382 students)

College of the Desert vs. Grossmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Grossmont College?

  • College of the Desert and Grossmont College cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Grossmont College than College of the Desert ($9,800.00 vs. $9,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grossmont College than College of the Desert ($6,651 vs. $13,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grossmont College are 20.2% lower than costs at College of the Desert ($14,800 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of the Desert than Grossmont College (85% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 23.7% larger than aid received Grossmont College ($6,758 vs. $5,465)

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or Grossmont College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Grossmont College or College of the Desert .

College of the Desert vs. Grossmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, College of the Desert or Grossmont College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Grossmont College and College of the Desert.

  • Graduates from Grossmont College earn on average $3,100 more per year than College of the Desert graduates after ten years. ($38,200 vs. $35,100)
  • Grossmont College students graduate with a $838 lower median federal student loan debt than College of the Desert graduates. ($4,500 vs. $5,338)
  • Grossmont College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than College of the Desert graduates. ($46 vs. $55)
  • More Grossmont College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 35%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/