California State University-Bakersfield

California State University-Bakersfield's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 15% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 8% and Education at 6%. The largest programs by cohort size are Business Administration (351 graduates), General Studies (312 graduates), Psychology, General (294 graduates), and Criminal Justice (170 graduates).

Business Administration combines strong enrollment with solid earnings, making it the program that contributes most to the institution's overall financial outcomes. The strongest earnings come from health and business fields.

Nursing graduates earn median earnings of $102,298 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #94 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration follows with median earnings of $61,705, and Azimuth ranks it #155 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Biology, General graduates earn $58,885, while General Studies graduates earn $57,529 — both reflecting applied fields with direct workforce entry. For context on [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), rankings weight both earnings and cohort scale.

Several of California State University-Bakersfield's strongest programs — particularly nursing and business administration — are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the labor market directly and four-year earnings reflect actual workforce outcomes. Psychology, General and Business Administration serve as broader foundational fields where some graduates continue to graduate study, meaning four-year earnings may undercount long-term trajectory for a portion of completers.

The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how the institution's concentration in business and health fields aligns with regional and national labor-market demand in California's Central Valley. ```

California State University-Bakersfield prices its degrees accessibly across the income spectrum. Low-income families pay approximately $3,536 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $5,835, and higher-income families pay correspondingly more at roughly $16,069.

Azimuth ranks California State University-Bakersfield #49 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The university's public-tuition structure and broad financial-aid reach keep net prices well below the published cost of attendance of $19,522 for most families.

Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Need-based aid plays a central role in how California State University-Bakersfield prices for lower- and middle-income students.

The university participates in federal Pell Grant programs, state Cal Grant funding, and institutional aid, and the combination meaningfully closes the gap between sticker price and what most families actually pay. Families weighing the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — the difference between published costs and actual out-of-pocket expenses — will generally find that CSUB's net prices reflect a more accessible reality than the headline figure suggests.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,600, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $9,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,109, median federal debt of $16,600 projects to a monthly payment of about $188 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of California State University-Bakersfield earn median 4-year earnings of $59,109, placing California State University-Bakersfield in the 39.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $13,422 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 90.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks California State University-Bakersfield #650 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.

Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 351 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $61,705, ranked #180 nationally in its major. Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities reports 312 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $57,529, ranked #29 nationally in its major.

Psychology, General reports 294 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $49,207, ranked #168 nationally in its major. Criminal Justice and Corrections reports 170 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $53,715, ranked #97 nationally in its major.