College of the Desert vs. IVC

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than IVC based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 8,873 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Imperial Valley College is in Imperial, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Imperial Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Imperial Valley College 31:1.

College of the Desert vs. IVC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or IVC? 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 Imperial Valley College than College of the Desert ($1,890 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Imperial Valley College are 63.6% lower than at College of the Desert ($9,153 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 15.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than IVC (about $178 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,148.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.9% higher at College of the Desert than at Imperial Valley College (about $1,322 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $8,852.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Imperial Valley College than at College of the Desert (91% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Imperial Valley College students is 45.6% larger than aid received by College of the Desert students ($9,933 vs. $6,822).

College of the Desert vs. IVC Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. IVC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and IVC? 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 Desert earn a median of about $6,300 more per year than IVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $28,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.