Biological and Physical Sciences graduates from College of the Desert earn $59,719 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Biological and Physical Sciences at College of the Desert
Palm Desert, California • Associate's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Biological and Physical Sciences at College of the Desert
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for College of the Desert and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Biological and Physical Sciences at the associate's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 36 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at College of the Desert, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $59,719 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $51,067 across all institutions offering Biological and Physical Sciences, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at College of the Desert, the mean median-earnings figure is $52,082, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Biological and Physical Sciences at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Woodland Community College | $89,041 | — |
| San Diego City College | $77,094 | — |
| De Anza College | $71,064 | — |
| Elgin Community College | $67,323 | — |
| Copper Mountain Community College | $66,094 | — |
| San Joaquin Delta College | $65,425 | — |
| Santiago Canyon College | $65,210 | — |
| Modesto Junior College | $64,444 | — |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | $63,614 | — |
| San Bernardino Valley College | $63,205 | — |
Other Programs at College of the Desert
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $106,782 | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences (current) | $59,719 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $52,620 | — |
| History | $49,234 | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | $47,357 | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $45,349 | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $44,704 | — |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | $40,391 | — |
| Psychology, General | $39,201 | — |
| Sociology | $35,465 | — |
Other Schools with Biological and Physical Sciences
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.