College of the Desert vs. Porterville College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than Porterville College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 4,784 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Porterville College is in Porterville, CA (Small City setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Porterville College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Porterville College 25:1.

College of the Desert vs. Porterville College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Porterville 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 Porterville College than College of the Desert ($14,733 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Porterville College are 3.8% lower than at College of the Desert ($24,192 vs. $25,151).
• Porterville 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 11.1% higher at Porterville College than at College of the Desert (about $1,134 more per year; $11,308.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Porterville College than at College of the Desert (94% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Porterville College students is 1.7% larger than aid received by College of the Desert students ($6,940 vs. $6,822).

College of the Desert vs. Porterville College Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. Porterville College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Porterville 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 College of the Desert earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than Porterville College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $31,700), 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.