College of the Desert vs. West Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than West Valley College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 7,655 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); West Valley College is in Saratoga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. West Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; West Valley College 29:1.

College of the Desert vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or West Valley 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 West Valley College than College of the Desert ($7,270 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 28.9% lower than at West Valley College ($25,151 vs. $35,361).
• West Valley College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Desert (about $164 more per year; $1,490.00 vs. $1,326.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.9% higher at College of the Desert than at West Valley College (about $1,472 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $8,702.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at West Valley College (88% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 41.9% larger than aid received by West Valley College students ($6,822 vs. $4,806).

College of the Desert vs. West Valley College Admissions comparison

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

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

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and West Valley 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 West Valley College earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,100 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.