College of the Desert vs. Yuba College

Comparable Facts

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

College of the Desert is larger than Yuba College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 6,320 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Yuba College is in Marysville, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Yuba College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Yuba College 21:1.

College of the Desert vs. Yuba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Yuba 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 Yuba College than College of the Desert ($4,973 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yuba College are 34.1% lower than at College of the Desert ($16,580 vs. $25,151).
• College of the Desert is 17.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Yuba College (about $198 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,128.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24% higher at College of the Desert than at Yuba College (about $1,966 more per year; $10,174.00 vs. $8,208.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Yuba College than at College of the Desert (93% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 6.5% larger than aid received by Yuba College students ($6,822 vs. $6,403).

College of the Desert vs. Yuba College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or Yuba College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Yuba 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; Yuba College - Open admission.

College of the Desert vs. Yuba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Yuba College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from College of the Desert earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than Yuba College graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of the Desert graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Yuba College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 30%)

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.