College of the Desert vs. Mendocino College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Mendocino College is in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mendocino College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Mendocino College 16:1.

College of the Desert vs. Mendocino College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Mendocino 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 Mendocino College than College of the Desert ($9,798 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 34.1% lower than at College of the Desert ($16,580 vs. $25,151).
• Mendocino College is 7.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $97 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.7% higher at College of the Desert than at Mendocino College (about $171 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at Mendocino College (88% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 5.2% larger than aid received by College of the Desert students ($7,180 vs. $6,822).

College of the Desert vs. Mendocino College Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. Mendocino College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Mendocino 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 earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $7,662 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($5,338 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $79 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($55 vs. $134).
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 30%)

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.