College of the Desert vs. Taft College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than Taft College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 4,464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Taft College is in Taft, CA (Distant Town setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Taft College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Taft College 28:1.

College of the Desert vs. Taft College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Taft 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 Taft College than College of the Desert ($5,025 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Taft College are 67.8% lower than at College of the Desert ($8,095 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 19.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Taft College (about $218 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,108.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.7% higher at Taft College than at College of the Desert (about $678 more per year; $10,852.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Taft College than at College of the Desert (90% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Taft College students is 39.3% larger than aid received by College of the Desert students ($9,502 vs. $6,822).

College of the Desert vs. Taft College Admissions comparison

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

College of the Desert vs. Taft College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Taft 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 Taft College earn a median of about $4,500 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,600 vs. $35,100), 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.