CSU Bakersfield vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA with Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Bakersfield is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (10,419 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Bakersfield is located in Bakersfield, CA (Large City setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Bakersfield is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Bakersfield 20:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

CSU Bakersfield vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or Design Institute of San Diego? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than Design Institute of San Diego ($6,489 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Bakersfield are 31.7% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($15,076 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 262.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Bakersfield (about $21,210 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $8,090.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 41.6% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Bakersfield (about $8,610 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $20,690.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University Bakersfield (100% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 8.9% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($12,966 vs. $11,901).

CSU Bakersfield vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Bakersfield or Design Institute of San Diego? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Design Institute of San Diego and CSU Bakersfield.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU Bakersfield - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Bakersfield Dec 15, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CSU Bakersfield (93.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.4% at CSU Bakersfield vs. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

CSU Bakersfield vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU Bakersfield and Design Institute of San Diego? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than California State University Bakersfield's (41%).
• Graduates from California State University Bakersfield earn a median of about $9,400 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,300 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Bakersfield graduates have a $27,417 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($13,168 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, CSU Bakersfield graduates have an estimated $283 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($136 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.