College of the Desert
Below average. Ask hard questions before enrolling. It ranks 1,195 of 1,952 certificate schools on student outcomes, with an overall score of 44.1 out of 100.
These three answers are rules of thumb from the numbers below, not advice for any one student or major.
Student reviews are coming soon
We are rebuilding how students share their experiences, so for now this page shows only the federal numbers and our written summaries. Check back soon.
Why it is good
- Strong pay: typical earnings ten years after starting are $44,228, higher than 76% of certificate schools.
- Debt is manageable: graduates owe a typical $8,750 in federal loans against earnings of $44,228.
Why it is bad
- Only 31% of students graduate. 93% of certificate schools do better.
The numbers
What these figures measure
Graduation rate: share of all students, full-time or part-time, who finish within 8 years. Return for year 2: share of first-time, full-time students who come back for a second year. Earnings: median pay about 10 years after starting, for students who received federal aid. Debt: median federal loan debt among those who finish. Net price: average yearly cost after grants and scholarships. All from the U.S. Education Department College Scorecard, institution file dated November 2, 2026.
Programs and early earnings
Associate degrees: largest programs
| Field | Graduates a year | Earnings, 2 yrs after | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 145 | n/a | n/a |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 138 | $30,409 | n/a |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 130 | n/a | n/a |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 115 | $21,781 | n/a |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 83 | $73,446 | n/a |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 66 | $37,208 | n/a |
Certificates and diplomas: largest programs
| Field | Graduates a year | Earnings, 2 yrs after | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 841 | n/a | n/a |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 119 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 39 | n/a | n/a |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 36 | n/a | n/a |
| Fire Protection | 19 | n/a | n/a |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 18 | n/a | n/a |
Earnings are the median pay two years after completing, for graduates who were working and not enrolled again. The federal government hides figures for small programs, shown as n/a. Fields are broad groups, so a college may offer several majors inside one.
Students and reviews
Numbers cannot tell you about teaching, dorms or campus life. Student reviews and questions are coming soon to this site. In the meantime, other sources:
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The grade reflects outcomes for the average student compared with other certificate schools. Individual majors can be much better or worse.