Bakersfield College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Bakersfield, California. It enrolls 17,280 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Open / Online). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
48/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes10
Value38
Affordability39
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Admissions data is not yet reported for Bakersfield College.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Bakersfield College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $14,621 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$14,621
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
1%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,430
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,300
Room & Board (off-campus)
$24,192
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$22,018
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$14,493
$30,001 – $48,000
$14,538
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,011
$75,001 – $110,000
$17,746
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,87210%percentile
$3,27425%percentile
$8,312Medianpercentile
$13,25075%percentile
$22,04690%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↑ $1,188
No Pell $5,500
↓ $2,812
Dependent students $5,250
↓ $3,062
Independent students $10,500
↑ $2,188
Female students $9,500
↑ $1,188
Male students $8,435
↑ $123
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, close to what completers borrow ($8,312) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
4% of full-time students who enrolled at Bakersfield College graduate within six years, and 0% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
4%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
0%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bakersfield College earn a median of $37,291 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$37,291
Earning > $25K
61%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$31,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,200, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$2.6 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Bakersfield College is home to 17,280 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 63% are first-generation college students, 64% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
17,280
Part-Time
64%
First-Generation
63%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 71.1%12,290
White 15.1%2,616
Black 5.5%947
Other 3.8%660
Asian 3.8%655
International 0.3%54
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bakersfield College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityBakersfield, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
28%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Bakersfield College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
93 distinct programs across
32 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bakersfield College is 32:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
32:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,867
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$14M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$103,017
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
379 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
379
100%
$103,017
Pros & Cons of Bakersfield College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bakersfield College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for:
Based on the data, Bakersfield College is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bakersfield College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bakersfield College.
How much does Bakersfield College cost?
The average net price after aid at Bakersfield College is $14,621 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bakersfield College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $37,291 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $14,621 per year. That's roughly 2.6x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bakersfield College known for?
Bakersfield College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Bakersfield College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Bakersfield College are $37,291, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Bakersfield College accredited?
Yes. Bakersfield College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Bakersfield College?
Bakersfield College enrolls 17,280 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Bakersfield College?
Bakersfield College graduates 4% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Bakersfield College a public or private college?
Bakersfield College is a Public institution.
Where is Bakersfield College located?
Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, California.
What programs does Bakersfield College offer?
Bakersfield College offers 93 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bakersfield College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bakersfield College is 32:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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