Steve Watkin President | Bakersfield College
Steve Watkin President | Bakersfield College
Data shows that students paid $3,361 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $6 more than the previous school year.
Among the seven institutions in the county, Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $76,757. California Aeronautical University followed with an average of $33,037 per year. Bakersfield College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,430.
At the time, a total of $26 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Kern County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $5.6 million.
Currently there are seven higher education institutions in Kern County, including Milan Institute-Bakersfield, Cerro Coso Community College, and Lyle's College of Beauty.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Coso Community College | 135 | $715,081 | $5,297 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Milan Institute-Bakersfield | 415 | $1,577,930 | $3,802 | 388 | $2,085,638 | $5,375 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 955 | $11,877,028 | $12,437 | 205 | $959,839 | $4,682 |
| Bakersfield College | 1,354 | $10,727,933 | $7,923 | 13 | $77,662 | $5,974 |
| Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield | 189 | $819,495 | $4,336 | 225 | $2,074,318 | $9,219 |
| California Aeronautical University | 20 | $166,215 | $8,311 | 25 | $305,750 | $12,230 |
| Lyle's College of Beauty | 12 | $78,734 | $6,561 | 13 | $102,615 | $7,893 |
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