More selective than 15% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,522. College Scorecard.
Higher than 26% of California colleges we cover and 42% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 36% of California colleges we cover and 67% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
California State University-Bakersfield acceptance rate & admissions
Of 13,950 applicants, California State University-Bakersfield admitted 12,303 and 1,204 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
California State University-Bakersfield tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for California residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
California State University-Bakersfield majors, earnings & careers
California State University-Bakersfield offers 43 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 10
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Business & Finance · 4
- Engineering · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at California State University-Bakersfield
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $102,298 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | $97,998 | — |
| Computer Engineering | $93,797 | — |
| Engineering Science | $88,948 | — |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | $82,315 | — |
| Computer Science | $80,432 | — |
| Economics | $78,029 | — |
| Geology / Earth Science | $69,989 | — |
Quick list of all 43 majors
- Agricultural Business—
- Anthropology—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other$49,834
- Biology$58,885
- Business Administration$61,705
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$50,989
- Computer Engineering$93,797
- Computer Science$80,432
- Criminal Justice$53,715
- Economics$78,029
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Electrical Engineering$97,998
- Engineering—
- Engineering Science$88,948
- English$52,420
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy$82,315
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Geology / Earth Science$69,989
- History$56,081
- Human Development and Family Studies$50,850
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$53,553
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$57,529
- Mathematics$64,470
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Natural Sciences—
- Nursing$102,298
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$51,882
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$49,207
- Public Administration—
- Public Health—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology$52,618
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art$43,534
- Theatre—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Bakersfield
Overall prices in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,656. Housing costs 10% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 9 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: wildfire (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Kern County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Kern County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare California State University-Bakersfield with similar schools
Similar public colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-Bakersfield | 94% | $5,652 | 50% | $59,009 | This school |
| California State University-Stanislaus | 98% | $6,067 | 53% | $63,188 | |
| California State University-East Bay | 97% | $9,320 | 48% | $71,401 | |
| California State University-Channel Islands | 95% | $9,849 | 51% | $62,152 | |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 97% | $13,663 | 59% | $59,247 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
California State University-Bakersfield would cost you $415 less per year than California State University-Stanislaus, on average.
- Lower sticker price at California State University-Bakersfield, mostly from more California State University-Bakersfield students living at home, which lowers its average (−$1,861).
- California State University-Bakersfield gives aided families $198 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | California State University-Bakersfield | California State University-Stanislaus | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,090 | $8,246 | −$156 |
| Books & supplies | $1,068 | $1,038 | +$30 |
| Housing & meals | $14,430 | $12,728 | +$1,702 |
| Personal & travel | $3,782 | $3,714 | +$68 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$7,848 | −$5,987 | −$1,861 |
| Sticker price | $19,522 | $19,739 | −$217 |
| Average grants | −$13,870 | −$13,672 | −$198 |
| You pay | $5,652 | $6,067 | −$415 |
“+” means California State University-Bakersfield costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about California State University-Bakersfield
What is the California State University-Bakersfield acceptance rate?
California State University-Bakersfield accepts 94% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 12,303 of 13,950 applicants were admitted.
How much does California State University-Bakersfield cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,522 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $5,652 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $3,536 and families earning $110k+ pay $16,069.
How much do California State University-Bakersfield graduates earn?
Former California State University-Bakersfield students earn a median $59,009 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the California State University-Bakersfield graduation rate?
50% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
Is California State University-Bakersfield the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “California State University-Bakersfield: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/california-state-university-bakersfield (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).