2025 Compare Cities Education:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Palm Desert, CA

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Highlights
- Palm Desert spends 6.5% less per student than Santa Cruz.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 7.0% higher in Palm Desert than in Santa Cruz. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Palm Desert had 2.7% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Santa Cruz
 Santa Cruz, CAPalm Desert, CAUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$15,296$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$13,552  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$7,941$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio21.84  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock249534573
 Students per Counselor473  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.8%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.1.9%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock93.1%88.9%
 Some College Educ.19.7%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock9.1%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.56.6%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock9.0%9.3%
 Professional Degree4.9%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock1.5%1.5%
Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

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I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

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Reviews for Palm Desert    14 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Palm Desert, CA is full of rude people. One woman in a long sleeved pink shirt is being extremely rude and mocking people for no reason at a neighborhood Walmart in Palm  More

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Palm Desert is clean, upscale and beautiful. The views of the Santa Rosa Mountains bright blue sky and green expanses of golf course fairways, swimming pools and  More

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I made the mistake of moving here after a short vacation to be closer to family. Biggest mistake of my life! This is not the place to live if health is important to you.  More

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