Established in 1958, College of the Desert or COD is a public two year community college, located in Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California. It is distinguished as the home of the Energy Technology Training Center, a nationally recognized leader in alternative fuel training. The College was also recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2000.
COD enrolls more than 10,000 students every term. The courses offered at the College address a local need for employees in the hospitality, medical and agriculture industries. COD confers A.A. degrees and certificate programs in culinary management, turf management, nursing and agriculture, as well as in unique vocations such as transportation technology and digital design.
COD participates in the Foothill Intercollegiate Conference under the jurisdiction of the California Community College Commission on Athletics.
College Of The Desert is found in Palm Desert, CA. Palm Desert is a large suburb. The school is a public institution. Students can earn degrees up to and including the Associate's degree at College Of The Desert.
The school is known for its programs in liberal arts.
College Of The Desert accepts all qualified applicants under its open-admission rules.
The school has a tenure system for senior faculty. The full-time faculty at College Of The Desert is well-paid, which often goes with faculty quality.
Students numbered 8,597 in 2007 at the school.
College Of The Desert is a relative bargain, with lower tuition and fees than most schools offering similar degrees.
More complete details are provided below.
College Of The Desert
43-500 Monterey Ave
Palm Desert, CA 92260
General Phone: (760) 346-8041
http://www.collegeofthedesert.edu
| General Category | Degrees | Most Common Majors [see all] |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts | 266 | liberal arts and sciences, economics, history, political science, sociology, anthropology, creative writing, Spanish language, ... |
| Nursing And Emergency Medicine | 142 | registered nursing, licensed practical nurse, EMT paramedic, home health aide, nursing assistant |
| Business And Management | 61 | business management, accounting, business |
| Family And Social Work | 36 | child development, human services |
| Security And Law Enforcement | 32 | criminal justice and police, fire-fighting |
| Therapy And Counseling | 27 | psychology, substance abuse counseling |
| Computer Science And Engineering | 22 | information technology, computer graphics, computer science |
| Cooking And Culinary Arts | 11 | culinary arts |
| Landscaping And Horticulture | 10 | turf management, applied horticulture |
| Mechanics And Repair | 10 | automobile mechanics, alternative fuel vehicle tech |
| Hospitality | 8 | hospitality management, resort management |
| Office And Administration | 8 | office management |
| Media | 7 | mass communication, journalism |
| Engineering Technician | 6 | HVAC tech, drafting |
| Conservation And Resource Management | 5 | conservation, environmental studies, environmental science |
| Architecture And Planning | 5 | architectural tech |
| Mathematics | 3 | mathematics |
| Art Studies | 2 | art studies |
| Science | 2 | biology, physics, geology, chemistry |
| Construction Trades | 2 | building inspector, construction manager |
| Music | 1 | music |
| Agricultural Science And Management | 1 | agriculture, crop production, agricultural operations |
| Religion And Philosophy | 1 | philosophy |
| Nutrition And Exercise Therapy | 0 | dietetic technician, health and physical education, parks and recreation studies |
| Drama And Performing Arts | 0 | drama |
Number of programs and degrees for College Of The Desert in 2007:
| Degree Level | Total Awarded | Number of Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Associate's degree | 532 | 58 |
| Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 73 | 10 |
| Award of less than 1 academic year | 63 | 17 |
In 2007, College Of The Desert had a total enrollment of 8,597 students (4,914 full-time equivalent).
Students By Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 100% |
| Race | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 36% |
| Black | 4% |
| Hispanic | 46% |
| Asian | 5% |
| American Indian | 1% |
| Unknown | 6% |
| (Foreign Students) | 2% |
Students by Age:
| Age | Percent |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 3% |
| 18-19 | 26% |
| 20-21 | 18% |
| 22-24 | 14% |
| 25-29 | 13% |
| 30-34 | 7% |
| 35-39 | 5% |
| 40-49 | 8% |
| 50-64 | 5% |
| 65+ | 1% |
Incoming (Freshman) Students by Place of Residence:
(From available data sampling)
| Residence | Percent |
|---|---|
| California | 87% |
| State unknown | 13% |
Retention Rates (2007):
| Group | Returning From Previous Year |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 69 % |
| Part-Time | 44 % |
The school does not offer campus housing.
(Please refer to our profile of Palm Desert, California for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other California Colleges).
The school does not offer students a meal plan.
Expenses and Financial Aid:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $ 594 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 5,137 |
| Books and supplies | $ 1,425 |
Financial Aid:
College Of The Desert participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 118200)
College Of The Desert has a tenure system for faculty.
Tenure Status of Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Tenured | 42 | 29 |
| Non-tenured, but on tenure track | 13 | 18 |
| Non-tenured and not on tenure track | 11 | 16 |
Salaries for full-time faculty:
Full-Time Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | calendar year | 2 | * | 0 | * |
| No academic rank | calendar year | 7 | $85,232 | 12 | $77,022 |
| All faculty total | calendar year | 9 | $90,303 | 12 | $77,022 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
Full-Time Faculty (2007):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | academic year | 22 | $90,818 | 12 | $87,955 |
| Associate professor | academic year | 7 | $81,676 | 16 | $77,975 |
| Assistant professor | academic year | 14 | $70,028 | 7 | $72,391 |
| Instructor | academic year | 10 | $62,503 | 6 | $60,582 |
| No academic rank | academic year | 1 | * | 2 | * |
| All faculty total | academic year | 54 | $78,880 | 43 | $77,747 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
Agriculture, General
Crop Production
ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
Architectural Technology/Technician
ART STUDIES
Art/Art Studies, General
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Accounting
Business Administration and Management, General
Business/Commerce, General
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Computer Graphics
Computer Science
Information Technology
CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Natural Resources/Conservation, General
CONSTRUCTION TRADES
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector
COOKING AND CULINARY ARTS
Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General
DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General
Heating/AC/Refrigeration Technology/Technician
FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
Child Development
Human Services, General
HOSPITALITY
Hospitality Administration/Management, General
Resort Management
LANDSCAPING AND HORTICULTURE
Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General
Turf and Turfgrass Management
LIBERAL ARTS
Anthropology
Creative Writing
Economics, General
English Language and Literature, General
French Language and Literature
Geography
History, General
Italian Language and Literature
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Political Science and Government, General
Social Sciences, General
Sociology
Spanish Language and Literature
Speech and Rhetorical Studies
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics, General
MECHANICS AND REPAIR
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Technology/Technician
Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician
MEDIA
Journalism
Mass Communication/Media Studies
NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
Home Health Aide/Home Attendant
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
Nurse/Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant
Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)
NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY
Dietetic Technician (DTR)
Health and Physical Education, General
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION
Office Management and Supervision
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy
SCIENCE
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Chemistry, General
Geology/Earth Science, General
Physics, General
SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Criminal Justice/Police Science
Fire Science/Fire-fighting
THERAPY AND COUNSELING
Psychology, General
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
(Details are provided further down on this page.)
What Sets College Of The Desert Apart:
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest tuition & fees (in-state) (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Number of students (vs. all colleges) | Top 9% | ![]() |
| Salaries of full-time faculty (vs. all colleges) | Top 10% | ![]() |
| Number of degree programs (vs. all colleges) | Top 12% | ![]() |
| Minority % of student body (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 14% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in liberal arts (vs. all colleges) | Top 18% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in therapy and counseling (for colleges of its size and type) | Top 20% | ![]() |
Notable:
Open admission
Accepts some high school credits
Grants credits for AP courses
Offers distance learning
Offers weekend classes
Career counseling
Career services
Student employment services
On-campus day care
Remedial classes for students
Offers remedial adult education
Offers part-time study
On-campus library
Tenure system for quality teaching
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Liberal Arts
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