Campus & Student Life at College of the Desert

Home to about 10,932 undergraduates in 2020, College of the Desert is a large, public college located in Palm Desert, California. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, College of the Desert offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by College of the Desert can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our College of the Desert Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

College of the Desert Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 8.0% of the student population at College of the Desert. For more information on policies and accommodations that the college provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit College of the Desert Disability Services.

College of the Desert for the Military

While not a "service academy", College of the Desert does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. There is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit College of the Desert Veteran Services . For more information, check out our College of the Desert for Veterans Guide.

College of the Desert offers On-Campus Day Care

For students with young families, College of the Desert does offer some day care. Programs like this are often in very high demand, so be sure to inquire as soon as you can.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at College of the Desert

College of the Desert does not offer on-campus housing.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at College of the Desert

College of the Desert has a comparatively large, student body. There were 10,932 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 4,197 (38.4%). Part-time attendance was 6,735 (61.6%).

College of the Desert is Ranked #2,113 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, College of the Desert is less diverse than average in terms of overall diversity. We rank College of the Desert #2113 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at College of the Desert by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the College of the Desert Diversity Guide.

College of the Desert Athletics

College of the Desert has a total of 251 student athletes, 169 men and 82 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to College of the Desert Athletics