Bakersfield College vs. Cuesta College

Should I go to Bakersfield College or Cuesta College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bakersfield College or Cuesta College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bakersfield College vs. Cuesta College comparison
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Bakersfield College
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Overview

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Location Bakersfield, CA San Luis Obispo, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 26,873 9,908
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bakersfieldcollege.edu cuesta.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Tuition (In State) $1,380 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,510 $9,296
Room & Board $17,253 $17,784
Avg Net Price $8,878 $14,507
Avg Grant Aid $6,010 $4,559
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 86%

Admission

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 13, 2025

Academics

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Student to Faculty Ratio 28:1 27:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)

Outcomes

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,900 $40,800
Making Student Loan Payments 26% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,955 $11,250
Median Loan Payment $92 $116

Diversity

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
% Men 44% 49%
% Women 56% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 22% 62%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 66% 27%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
% In-State 100% 95%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Bakersfield College Cuesta College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bakersfield College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (26,873 students vs. 9,908 students)

Bakersfield College vs. Cuesta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bakersfield College or Cuesta College?

  • Bakersfield College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than Cuesta College for in-state tuition ($1,380.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at Bakersfield College than Cuesta College ($9,510.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bakersfield College than Cuesta College ($8,878 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bakersfield College are 3.1% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($17,253 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bakersfield College than Cuesta College (95% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bakersfield College students is 31.8% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($6,010 vs. $4,559)

Which college is harder to get into, Bakersfield College or Cuesta College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cuesta College or Bakersfield College .

Bakersfield College vs. Cuesta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bakersfield College or Cuesta College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cuesta College and Bakersfield College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $5,900 more per year than Bakersfield College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $34,900)
  • Bakersfield College students graduate with a $2,295 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($8,955 vs. $11,250)
  • Bakersfield College graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($92 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bakersfield College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 26%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/