Bakersfield College Tuition & Completion (2026)

Last updated: June 29, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

Bakersfield College is a public community college in Bakersfield, California, with about 17,280 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $14,621 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $1,430. Student demographics in federal data include Hispanic or Latino (71.1%) and White (15.1%) among the largest enrollment groups.

Key Facts

  • 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $1,430
  • 2024 Average Net Price: $14,621 After Financial Aid
  • 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
  • 2024 Enrolled Students: 17,280 36.0% Full-Time
  • 2024 Graduation Rate: 20.70%
  • Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs
  • First-Generation Students: 63.1%
  • Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 19.5% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Full-Time Faculty: 50.1%
  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 43,842
  • Room & Board: $24,192 annual estimate

Bakersfield College: what the data shows

Common questions about Bakersfield College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.

Where is Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, CA (ZIP 93305-1299).

NCES locale classification: City.

Is Bakersfield College public or private?

Bakersfield College is a Public institution.

How much does Bakersfield College cost?

Published tuition: $1,430 in-state, $11,300 out-of-state.

Average net price after aid: $14,621.

Family income bandAvg. net price
Family income $0–$30,000$14,493
$30,001–$48,000$14,538
$48,001–$75,000$15,011
$75,001–$110,000$17,746

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $5,720.

How big is Bakersfield College?

Total enrollment: 17,280 students.

Undergraduate enrollment: 43,842 students.

About 36% enroll full-time in our extract.

What is the graduation rate at Bakersfield College?

150%-time completion rate: 20.70%.

What do graduates of Bakersfield College earn?

Median earnings: $29,867 six years after entry; $37,291 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).

How much debt do students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers: $8,312.

30.40% of students receive Pell grants.

What is Bakersfield College known for?

Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:

See ROI & Programs for more.

Is Bakersfield College a good school?

We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 20.70%; median earnings $37,291 at 10 years; net price $14,621. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition Costs

$1,430
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Bakersfield College was $1,430.

Tuition comparison with similar institutions.

Average Net Price

$14,621
2024 Value

In 2024 Bakersfield College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,621.

Average net price comparison with similar institutions.

Total Cost of Attendance

$58,484 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost

$14,621 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)

$5,720 4-Year In-State Tuition

$45,200 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition

$24,192 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)

$1,062 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)

$26,684 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)

$106,736 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)

4-year total cost breakdown for Bakersfield College.

Financial Aid by Income Level

30.40% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

0.84% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Bakersfield College was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Bakersfield College in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$1,324$7,008$2,898
2014$1,324$7,120$3,849
2015$1,326$8,102$3,179
2016$1,326$7,822$3,442
2017$1,325$7,261$5,904
2018$1,325$7,261$5,425
2019$1,325$7,737$4,720
2020$1,418$9,908$5,495
2021$1,430$9,380$5,223
2022$1,430$9,560$5,905
2023$1,430$10,310$4,751

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.

Acceptance rate compared to national average.

Test Scores

Test score data is not available for this institution.

Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.

Academic Requirements

GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.

Estimated GPA and test score ranges.

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Bakersfield College reported total enrollment of about 17,280 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 44% male and 56% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (71.1%), White (15.1%), and Black or African American (5.5%). About 30.40% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 63.1% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

36.0% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Bakersfield College in 2024 is 17,280 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 43,842 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

N/A%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Hispanic or Latino at 71.1%.

Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).

College Scorecard student demographics.

Graduates & Outcomes

Time to Complete

50.00% 100% Completion Time

20.70% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 50.00% of students graduating from Bakersfield College completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 34% male / 66% female
  • Psychology, General: 21% male / 79% female
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 16% male / 84% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Hispanic or Latino.

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

ROI & Programs

Financial value and program information for Bakersfield College.

Return on Investment

$8,312 Median Student Debt

$37,291 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)

22.29% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio

537.63% Return on Investment

2.2 years Estimated Payback Period

Financial value analysis for Bakersfield College.

Top Programs by Completions

10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 83 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

1. Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 4,030 completions

2. Psychology, General: 356 completions

3. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 270 completions

4. Business Administration and Management, General: 216 completions

5. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 192 completions

6. Child Care Provider/Assistant: 143 completions

7. Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations: 142 completions

8. Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration: 141 completions

9. Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 122 completions

Most popular programs at Bakersfield College.

Employment Outcomes

Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.

Earnings outcomes for Bakersfield College graduates.

Operations

Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Bakersfield College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 50.1%
  • Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $12,330
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,893

Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.

Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.

About

Bakersfield College is a public institution located in Bakersfield, CA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Psychology, General, Biology/Biological Sciences, General. Enrollment is approximately 17,280 students. Student body composition includes Hispanic or Latino (71.1%), White (15.1%), Black or African American (5.5%). The 150%-time completion rate is 20.70%. Approximately 30.40% of students receive Pell Grants. About 63.1% of students are first-generation college students.

Institution Type

Public

Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs

Location

Bakersfield, CA 93305-1299

Region: Far West

Insights and Analysis

Graduation Rate Considerations: The 20.70% graduation rate at Bakersfield College falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.

Diverse Program Offerings: With over 83 distinct degree programs, Bakersfield College provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Bakersfield College located?

Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, CA.

How much does Bakersfield College cost?

Reported tuition is $1,430 and average net price is $14,621 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $24,192 annually.

What is the student body demographics at Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 43,842 students, Hispanic or Latino (71.1%), White (15.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Bakersfield College?

About 63.1% of students at Bakersfield College are first-generation college students.

What do graduates of Bakersfield College earn?

Median earnings are $29,867 six years after entry and $37,291 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Bakersfield College?

The 150%-time completion rate is 20.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Bakersfield College students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $8,312.

Is Bakersfield College public or private?

Bakersfield College is a public institution located in Bakersfield, CA.

Is Bakersfield College an HBCU?

No. Bakersfield College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Bakersfield College a tribal college?

No. Bakersfield College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Is Bakersfield College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?

By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—Bakersfield College reports 71.1% Hispanic enrollment share.

Is Bakersfield College religiously affiliated?

No religious affiliation is reported for Bakersfield College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • California trade schools profile
  • Bakersfield, California city profile
  • Far West regional profile
  • All state profiles
  • Regional profiles
  • National benchmarks
  • School directory
  • All schools in California

    • Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

    Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

    Methodology

    Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.

    All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.