CCC vs. College of the Desert

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than CCC based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 6,538 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Contra Costa College is located in San Pablo, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of the Desert is in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting).
• Contra Costa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Contra Costa College 22:1; College of the Desert 26:1.

CCC vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCC or College of the Desert? 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 Contra Costa College than College of the Desert ($11,384 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Contra Costa College are 7.6% lower than at College of the Desert ($23,238 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 1.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCC (about $14 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,312.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.4% higher at CCC than at College of the Desert (about $146 more per year; $10,320.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at Contra Costa College (88% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 20.7% larger than aid received by Contra Costa College students ($6,822 vs. $5,652).

CCC vs. College of the Desert Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCC or College of the Desert? 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 College of the Desert and CCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CCC - Open admission; College of the Desert - Open admission.

CCC vs. College of the Desert Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCC and College of the Desert? 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 Contra Costa College earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCC students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 28%)

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.