How much does Bakersfield College cost?

At Bakersfield College, the average net price (after aid) is about $14,621 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.

How many undergraduates attend Bakersfield College?

Bakersfield College enrolls approximately 17,280 undergraduate students.

Where is Bakersfield College located?

Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, CA.

Bakersfield College: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost — QuantAdmit

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Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CApublicbakersfieldcollege.edu

Avg net price

$14,621

Earnings (10 yr)

$37,291

Graduation rate

21%

Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.

Bakersfield College is a sprawling, open-access community college in California's Central Valley that serves over 30,000 students with a pragmatic, career-focused curriculum. Known for its agricultural and industrial tech programs, BC operates more like a launchpad for local workforce entry than a traditional college—with a 100% acceptance rate, ultra-low tuition, and graduation rates that reflect its mission to serve first-gen and non-traditional students.

More details

Undergrad enrollment: 17,280
In-state tuition: $1,430
Out-of-state tuition: $11,300
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Open Admissions: Yes
Early College Program: Yes
Median Earnings (5yr): $50,635
Federal Grant Aid (Avg): $5,674
Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,410
Graduation Rate (Federal): 26%

Outcomes & value

Median earnings (10 yr): $37,291
Value (earnings ÷ net price): 2.6×
Median debt at graduation: $8,312
Graduation rate: 21%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr): 28%
Pell (lower-income) share: 99%
First-generation share: 63%
Endowment / student: $862

Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.

Campus & location

Campus safety

On-campus violent crimes (2024): 4
Per 1,000 students: 0.23

On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.

Climate

Pleasant days / yr: 110
Summer high: 102°F
Winter low: 43°F
Annual rain: 10.6"
Annual snow: 0.7"
Natural-hazard risk: Relatively High

Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.

Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility

Research output

Institutional h-index: 44
Scholarly works: 575

Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.

Quick answers

How much does Bakersfield College cost?: At Bakersfield College, the average net price (after aid) is about $14,621 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Bakersfield College?: Bakersfield College enrolls approximately 17,280 undergraduate students.
Where is Bakersfield College located?: Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, CA.

Admissions

Bakersfield College maintains an open admissions policy, accepting all applicants who hold a high school diploma or equivalent (GED/CHSPE). With a 100% acceptance rate across ~3,850 annual applicants (per Niche and CollegeData), BC prioritizes accessibility over selectivity. The college explicitly welcomes parenting students and recently partnered with the Urban Institute to improve data collection on this demographic. Early College programs allow high school students to enroll concurrently, though no formal early decision process exists for traditional applicants. Notably, BC doesn't track or consider demonstrated interest in admissions decisions.

niche.com collegedata.com bakersfieldcollege.edu bakersfieldcollege.edu bakersfieldcollege.edu

Academics

BC’s academic offerings lean heavily into , with standout programs in Agriculture, Industrial Technology, and Allied Health. The college structures its 100+ degrees and certificates into eight "pathways":