College of the Desert vs. Mission College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

College of the Desert vs. Mission College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Mission 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 Mission College than College of the Desert ($7,646 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 28.9% lower than at Mission College ($25,151 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 8.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $112 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.9% higher at Mission College than at College of the Desert (about $2,326 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at Mission College (88% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 41.5% larger than aid received by Mission College students ($6,822 vs. $4,820).

College of the Desert vs. Mission College Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. Mission College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Mission College? 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 Mission College earn a median of about $6,900 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.