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Laney College Chabot College CMC College of Alameda Berkeley City College Mt. San Jacinto CCD| College of the Desert | Merritt College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
| Location | Palm Desert, CA | Oakland, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 10,382 | 6,514 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | collegeofthedesert.edu | merritt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $1,104 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,100 | $8,472 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,784 | $22,066 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,704 | $17,108 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,758 | $3,350 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 85% | 78% |
Admission |
College of the Desert | Merritt 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 |
Academics |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 26:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $35,100 | $39,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 35% | 27% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $5,338 | $11,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $55 | $118 |
Diversity |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 20% | 18% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 28% | ||
| % Hispanic | 68% | 25% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 6% |
Students |
College of the Desert | Merritt College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 84% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 0% | ||
Campus |
College of the Desert | Merritt 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
- College of the Desert is larger than than Merritt College based on total student enrollment (10,382 students vs. 6,514 students)
College of the Desert vs. Merritt College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Merritt College?
- College of the Desert is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Merritt College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.4% higher at College of the Desert than Merritt College ($9,100.00 vs. $8,472.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Desert than Merritt College ($13,704 vs. $17,108)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 24.1% lower than costs at Merritt College ($17,784 vs. $22,066)
- More students receive financial grant aid at College of the Desert than Merritt College (85% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 101.7% larger than aid received Merritt College ($6,758 vs. $3,350)
Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or Merritt College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Merritt College or College of the Desert .
College of the Desert vs. Merritt College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, College of the Desert or Merritt 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 Merritt College and College of the Desert.
- Graduates from Merritt College earn on average $4,700 more per year than College of the Desert graduates after ten years. ($39,800 vs. $35,100)
- College of the Desert students graduate with a $6,162 lower median federal student loan debt than Merritt College graduates. ($5,338 vs. $11,500)
- College of the Desert graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Merritt College graduates. ($55 vs. $118)
- More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merritt College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 27%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/