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California State University-Bakersfield

CSU Bakersfield

Bakersfield, California 93311-1099

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Urban

Known for business — excellent value

California State University-Bakersfield is a public institution in Bakersfield with particular strength in business and psychology.

A mid-sized campus of 8.2K undergraduates with a 16:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

49% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $59,009 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $5,825.

Established
1965
Motto
`Runners on the rise!
Type
Public university
Conference
Pac-12 conference
Division
Division I

Plan Your Visit

88%Acceptance
SAT Avg
8,183Students
16:1Student:Faculty
49%Grad Rate
$59,009Earnings 10yr
$5,825Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate88.2%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$7,696
Tuition (out-of-state)$19,576
Room & Board$14,430
Books & Supplies$1,068
Total Cost of Attendance$18,815
Average Net Price$5,825
Median Debt at Graduation$16,600
Monthly Payment (10yr)$176

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$3,070
$30–48K$3,977
$48–75K$6,183
$75–110K$10,935
$110K+$16,810

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

75.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

1.4%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$11,270

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

61

Peer Average

92

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

Incident Breakdown (2024)

16

Burglary

3

Aggravated Assault

2

Robbery

5

Motor Vehicle Theft

7

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

16

Drug Arrests

12

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (68)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

80%

Mixed

Student Body

Undergrads
8,183
Gender Split
65% / 35%
Women / Men
First Generation
58%
Pell Grant Recipients
61%

Race & Ethnicity

White 12%
Black 4%
Hispanic 69%
Asian 7%
Two+ 2%
Int'l 1%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate49.3%
Freshman Retention79.7%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$44,282
10 Years$59,009

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

Rankings

U.S. News
#31
vs 2024
Forbes
#295
vs 2024
Wall Street Journal
#29
vs 2024
Washington Monthly
#28
vs 2024

More About This School

Varsity Sports

Golf programBasketballSwimmingSoccerVolleyballTennis

History & Fun Facts

  • In 1982, the California State College system became the California State University system.
  • The school changed to its present name in 1988, when it was granted university status.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

163Very High

Estimated from CA state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 5"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

Los Angelespop. 3.9M
102 mi(177 min)
San Diegopop. 1.4M
213 mi(369 min)
San Franciscopop. 870K
249 mi(432 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

LAX Los Angeles105 mi
SJC San Jose210 mi
SAN San Diego211 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA2595 mi · ~74h 58m drive
New York, NY2455 mi · ~70h 55m drive
Hartford, CT2516 mi · ~72h 41m drive
Providence, RI2581 mi · ~74h 34m drive
Albany, NY2456 mi · ~70h 57m drive
Syracuse, NY2334 mi · ~67h 26m drive
Rochester, NY2260 mi · ~65h 17m drive
Buffalo, NY2196 mi · ~63h 26m drive
Philadelphia, PA2400 mi · ~69h 20m drive
Pittsburgh, PA2143 mi · ~61h 55m drive
Harrisburg, PA2308 mi · ~66h 41m drive
Newark, NJ2446 mi · ~70h 40m drive
Washington, DC2310 mi · ~66h 44m drive
Baltimore, MD2329 mi · ~67h 17m drive
Atlanta, GA1969 mi · ~56h 53m drive
Charlotte, NC2144 mi · ~61h 56m drive
Raleigh, NC2258 mi · ~65h 14m drive
Miami, FL2391 mi · ~69h 4m drive
Orlando, FL2247 mi · ~64h 55m drive
Tampa, FL2202 mi · ~63h 37m drive
Nashville, TN1805 mi · ~52h 9m drive
New Orleans, LA1723 mi · ~49h 47m drive
Richmond, VA2302 mi · ~66h 30m drive
Chicago, IL1747 mi · ~50h 28m drive
Detroit, MI1984 mi · ~57h 19m drive
Minneapolis, MN1509 mi · ~43h 36m drive
St. Louis, MO1605 mi · ~46h 22m drive
Kansas City, MO1370 mi · ~39h 35m drive
Indianapolis, IN1820 mi · ~52h 35m drive
Columbus, OH1987 mi · ~57h 24m drive
Cleveland, OH2052 mi · ~59h 17m drive
Milwaukee, WI1741 mi · ~50h 18m drive
Dallas, TX1286 mi · ~37h 9m drive
Houston, TX1431 mi · ~41h 20m drive
Austin, TX1286 mi · ~37h 9m drive
San Antonio, TX1267 mi · ~36h 36m drive
Los Angeles, CA102 mi · ~2h 57m drive
San Francisco, CA249 mi · ~7h 12m drive
San Diego, CA213 mi · ~6h 9m drive
Seattle, WA863 mi · ~24h 56m drive
Portland, OR727 mi · ~21h drive
Denver, CO829 mi · ~23h 57m drive
Phoenix, AZ422 mi · ~12h 11m drive
Salt Lake City, UT542 mi · ~15h 39m drive
Honolulu, HI2529 mi · ~73h 4m drive
Southern (mild winters, hot summers)

Deadline Calendar

California State University-Bakersfield Application Checklist

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