College of the Desert vs. West Valley College

Should I go to College of the Desert or West Valley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if College of the Desert or West Valley College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

De Anza College Foothill College Mission College Evergreen Valley College San Jose City College Cabrillo College CMC Gavilan College Mt. San Jacinto CCD
College of the Desert vs. West Valley College comparison
College of the Desert West Valley College College 3 College 4
College of the Desert
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Location Palm Desert, CA Saratoga, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 10,382 6,513
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website collegeofthedesert.edu westvalley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,380
Tuition (Out of State) $9,100 $8,700
Room & Board $17,784 $19,348
Avg Net Price $13,704 $5,468
Avg Grant Aid $6,758 $6,185
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 63%

Admission

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline

Academics

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (26%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (10%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (38%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Legal Professions (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,100 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,338 N/A
Median Loan Payment $55 N/A

Diversity

 College of the Desert West Valley College
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 20% 44%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 68% 27%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 College of the Desert West Valley College
% In-State 95% 99%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

 College of the Desert West Valley College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of the Desert is larger than than West Valley College based on total student enrollment (10,382 students vs. 6,513 students)

College of the Desert vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or West Valley College?

  • West Valley College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than College of the Desert for in-state tuition ($1,380.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at College of the Desert than West Valley College ($9,100.00 vs. $8,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Valley College than College of the Desert ($5,468 vs. $13,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 8.8% lower than costs at West Valley College ($17,784 vs. $19,348)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of the Desert than West Valley College (85% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 9.3% larger than aid received West Valley College ($6,758 vs. $6,185)

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or West Valley College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between West Valley College or College of the Desert .

College of the Desert vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, College of the Desert or West Valley College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between West Valley College and College of the Desert.

  • Graduates from West Valley College earn on average $6,000 more per year than College of the Desert graduates after ten years. ($41,100 vs. $35,100)
  • More West Valley College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 35%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/