College of the Desert vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 2,318 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is in Visalia, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; San Joaquin Valley College Visalia 28:1.

College of the Desert vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 College of the Desert than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia ($18,169 vs. $27,525).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia are 65.2% lower than at College of the Desert ($8,764 vs. $25,151).
• San Joaquin Valley College Visalia is 1,152.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $15,280 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 63.2% higher at San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia than at College of the Desert (about $6,432 more per year; $16,606.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at San Joaquin Valley College Visalia (88% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 25.6% larger than aid received by San Joaquin Valley College Visalia students ($6,822 vs. $5,430).

College of the Desert vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia 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; San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia - Open admission.

College of the Desert vs. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia? 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 $3,000 more per year than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $32,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have a $10,462 lower median loan debt than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates ($5,338 vs. $15,800).
• Among borrowers, College of the Desert graduates have an estimated $108 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia graduates ($55 vs. $163).
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia 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.