Cuesta College vs. College of the Desert

Should I go to Cuesta College or College of the Desert? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or College of the Desert 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.

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Cuesta College vs. College of the Desert comparison
Cuesta College College of the Desert College 3 College 4
College of the Desert
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Overview

Cuesta College College of the Desert
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Palm Desert, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 9,908 10,382
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu collegeofthedesert.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cuesta College College of the Desert
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,100
Room & Board $17,784 $17,784
Avg Net Price $14,507 $13,704
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $6,758
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 85%

Admission

Cuesta College College of the Desert
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 Aug 13, 2025

Academics

Cuesta College College of the Desert
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 26:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (26%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (10%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

Cuesta College College of the Desert
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $35,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 35%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $5,338
Median Loan Payment $116 $55

Diversity

Cuesta College College of the Desert
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 20%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 68%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Cuesta College College of the Desert
% In-State 95% 95%
% Out-of-State 0% 2%

Campus

Cuesta College College of the Desert
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 Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (10,382 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. College of the Desert Cost Comparison

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

  • Cuesta College and College of the Desert cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Cuesta College than College of the Desert ($9,296.00 vs. $9,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of the Desert than Cuesta College ($13,704 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 0% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($17,784 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than College of the Desert (86% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 48.2% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($6,758 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. College of the Desert Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or College of the Desert? 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 College of the Desert and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $5,700 more per year than College of the Desert graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $35,100)
  • College of the Desert students graduate with a $5,912 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($5,338 vs. $11,250)
  • College of the Desert graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($55 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 35%)

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