College of the Desert vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

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

Sacramento City College is larger than College of the Desert based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 12,861 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

College of the Desert vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College than College of the Desert ($8,624 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 12.2% lower than at College of the Desert ($22,086 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sac City (about $38 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24% higher at Sac City than at College of the Desert (about $2,442 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at College of the Desert (90% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 10.2% larger than aid received by Sacramento City College students ($6,822 vs. $6,192).

College of the Desert vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College earn a median of about $3,900 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $5,162 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($5,338 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $53 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($55 vs. $108).
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 29%)

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.