Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA 17,280 Undergrads 25.9% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$22,018

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$14,621

After Aid

Median Earnings

$51,238

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,621

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$51,238

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate25.9%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients39.1%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time36.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS49.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

SAT Avg

SAT Reading

25th: --75th: -

SAT Math

25th: --75th: -

ACT Composite

25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$545k

+$29k

+$60k

Median Cost$15k/yr

+$518k

+$2k

+$33k

Full Cost$22k/yr

+$504k

-$11k

+$20k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$15k/yr

124%

Full Cost$22k/yr

49%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return196%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-5%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Computer and Information Sciences, General

CertCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

CertCIP: 5139

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

CertCIP: 5138

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $80,020

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

AssocCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,660

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Agricultural Business and Management

AssocCIP: 0101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $47,825

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Agricultural Production Operations

AssocCIP: 0103

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,438

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

AssocCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$55,964

Natl Median: $65,389

Lifetime Value Added

+$101k

American Sign Language

AssocCIP: 1616

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,886

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Anthropology

AssocCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,638

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

AssocCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,758

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$51,090

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

+$32k

Chemistry

AssocCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,597

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

AssocCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,243

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$40,694

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$72k

Culinary Arts and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1205

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,605

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

AssocCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,127

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

AssocCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,068

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Education, General

AssocCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$56,662

Natl Median: $41,787

Lifetime Value Added

+$86k

Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,241

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,046

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Engineering, General

AssocCIP: 1401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

AssocCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,134

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

AssocCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,650

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1905

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,400

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Forestry

AssocCIP: 0305

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,725

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

AssocCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,694

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

AssocCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $38,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

AssocCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$28,483

Natl Median: $34,184

Lifetime Value Added

-$196k

Human Services, General

AssocCIP: 4400

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,422

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$45,584

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

-$23k

Mathematics

AssocCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,929

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

AssocCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,056

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Philosophy

AssocCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,229

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

AssocCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,321

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

AssocCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,147

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$38,723

Natl Median: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

-$91k

Public Health

AssocCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,759

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

AssocCIP: 5138

Median Debt

$9,246

Earnings (4yr)

$103,477

Natl Median: $80,813

Lifetime Value Added

+$509k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

AssocCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,755

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

AssocCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$45,822

Natl Median: $44,144

Lifetime Value Added

-$20k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

AssocCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,162

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 4706

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,424

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1504

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $84,304

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.