Desert College vs Imperial Valley College
College of the Desert and Imperial Valley College, both esteemed community colleges in California, offer unique educational experiences tailored to diverse student aspirations. College of the Desert boasts an acceptance rate of 100%, welcoming all students with open arms, while Imperial Valley College's acceptance rate stands at 99%, demonstrating its commitment to inclusivity. In terms of student body demographics, College of the Desert's student population is predominantly Hispanic (63%), while Imperial Valley College's student body is largely Hispanic (73%). Both institutions offer a wide range of popular majors, including Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Health Professions, catering to students' varied academic interests. While College of the Desert boasts a higher graduation rate (62%) compared to Imperial Valley College's 49%, both colleges are dedicated to providing students with the necessary support and resources to achieve their academic goals. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the distinctions between these two exceptional community colleges and make an
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![]() College of the Desert |
![]() Imperial Valley College |
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Overview |
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Location | Palm Desert, California | Imperial, California |
Campus setting | City: Small | Rural: Fringe |
College type | 2 year | 2 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 67.0% | 77.0% |
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No | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | Open Admission | Open Admission |
Application fees | ||
SAT range | N/A | N/A |
ACT range | N/A | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | ||
Students submitting ACT score | ||
Total number of applicants | ||
Total number of admissions given out | ||
Admitted students who chose to enroll | ||
Yield rate | ||
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | Not required | Not required |
High school GPA | N/A | N/A |
Recommendation letters | N/A | N/A |
High school transcript | N/A | N/A |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | N/A | N/A |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$24,465
Out of state:
$32,109
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In state:
$25,390
Out of state:
$30,910
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Average net price | $14,179 | $2,300 |
Tuition |
In state:
$1,288
Out of state:
$8,932
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In state:
$1,104
Out of state:
$6,624
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Room & board | ||
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
95.0%
Average amount $5,621 |
94.0%
Average amount $7,842 |
Students receiving federal student loan | ||
Students taking out private loans | ||
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
10,229
Men 41.1% Women 58.9% |
7,225
Men 41.6% Women 58.4% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Very Low
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Out-of-state students | 1.5% | 6.9% |
International students | 0.6% | 0.0% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Rural: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | N/A | N/A |
First year students are required to live on campus? | N/A | N/A |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | California Colorado Arizona Florida Indiana | California |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 24:1 | 32:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges | Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 29.4% | 36.3% |
Dropout rate | 48.9% | 41.5% |
Transferred out | 5.0% | 4.9% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Associate's Degrees)
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Associate's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
Biological and Physical Sciences (Associate's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate's Degrees)
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Associate's Degrees)
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Associate's Degrees)
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