La Quinta, California has a population of about 38,299. The city’s median household income is $97,628 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 60 accredited schools offering education programs near La Quinta, with tuition ranging from $1,354 to $70,233 per year for indexed programs. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $160,750 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 60 schools in our directory that offer education programs near La Quinta. Distances are calculated from La Quinta city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA | 8.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto, CA | 41.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley, CA | 55.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 58.1 mi | $57,614 - $70,233 | – |
| University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences | San Marcos, CA | 61.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos, CA | 62.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda, CA | 62.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Palomar College | San Marcos, CA | 62.8 mi | $1,354 - $13,997 | – |
| Poway Adult School | Poway, CA | 63.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside, CA | 64.1 mi | $14,170 - $44,947 | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California education page.
La Quinta is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $97,910 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $92,021 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $97,560 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $91,692 |
| Middle School Teacher | $104,990 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $98,675 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $103,170 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $96,964 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $160,750 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $151,081 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $129,330 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $121,551 |
| Tutor | $44,150 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $41,494 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $99,540 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $93,553 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,299 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $97,628 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 38.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 106.4 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Riverside County | 10,044 workers, 612 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory has 60 accredited schools offering education programs near La Quinta. The closest is College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA (8.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is University of California-Riverside (64.1 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near La Quinta are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($160,750), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($129,330), Middle School Teacher ($104,990). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Indio, CA is 6.1 miles from La Quinta and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
La Quinta’s median household income of $97,628 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Quinta while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
Return to Best Online Education Programs in California (2026)