Regional university
California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $5,652 a year
Median debt at graduation: $16,600 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.50%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.20 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,900
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $19,522 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 8,336 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 35% · Women 65% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 58% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 2% |
| Total students | 9,787 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $5,652 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $19,522 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $16,600 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 50% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 31% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 30% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 55% |
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $59,009 |
| Admission rate | 94% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $70 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,140 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 61% |
Value: Exceptional · Top 4% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Engineering Science | |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | |
| Computer science | |
| Economics | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Mathematics | |
| Business administration | |
| Biology | |
| Liberal arts | |
| History | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Family and human development | |
| Other biological and biomedical sciences | |
| Psychology | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Agricultural business, Anthropology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering (general), Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Music, Natural Sciences, Natural resources and conservation, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-health, Public administration, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Teacher education, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Liberal arts and general studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Business | |
| Social sciences | |
| Education |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 17% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 24% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $15,076 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Big West Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 20 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 52%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $4,318IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 6% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Meadows Field (BFL)About 6 miles away · about 20 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)About 90 miles away |
| Town population | 411,986Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BakersfieldAbout 4 miles away · about 10 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 49°F in January · 84°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Bakersfield 5 NW, CA, about 6 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.10 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.19 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is California State University-Bakersfield’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does California State University-Bakersfield cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $5,652 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into California State University-Bakersfield?
- California State University-Bakersfield admitted 94% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do California State University-Bakersfield’s graduates do?
- 50% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $59,009; the median federal debt at graduation is $16,600.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 110486
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
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