Mark Perry Chairman | San Joaquin Valley College-Delano
Mark Perry Chairman | San Joaquin Valley College-Delano
Of the 12 institutions in the county, California State University-Bakersfield was the only one that provided detailed enrollment data at the time.
At least 13,834 people applied to Kern County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 42,356 students enrolled in the universities, including 40,928 in undergraduate and 1,428 in graduate programs. In total 7.1% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of Hispanic (67.6%) and white (17.2%) students.
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Bakersfield College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 26,873 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for five institutions in Kern County, including San Joaquin Valley College-Delano, High Desert Medical College - Bakerfield and Taft College.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milan Institute-Bakersfield | -- | -- | 432 |
| Bakersfield College | -- | -- | 26,873 |
| California Aeronautical University | -- | -- | 333 |
| Cerro Coso Community College | -- | -- | 4,919 |
| High Desert Medical College - Bakerfield | -- | -- | -- |
| Lyle's College of Beauty | -- | -- | 90 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 13,834 | 12,036 | 9,613 |
| Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield | -- | -- | 96 |
| UEI College-Bakersfield | -- | -- | -- |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Delano | -- | -- | -- |
| Taft College | -- | -- | -- |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | -- | -- | -- |
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