CSU Bakersfield vs. Musicians Institute

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Bakersfield is larger than Musicians Institute based on total student enrollment (10,419 students vs. 824 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Bakersfield is located in Bakersfield, CA (Large City setting); Musicians Institute is in Hollywood, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University Bakersfield is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Musicians Institute is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Bakersfield 20:1; Musicians Institute 6:1.

CSU Bakersfield vs. Musicians Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or Musicians Institute? 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 Musicians Institute ($6,489 vs. $49,657).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Bakersfield are 31.7% lower than at Musicians Institute ($15,076 vs. $22,086).
• Musicians Institute is 324.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Bakersfield (about $26,232 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $8,090.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65.9% higher at Musicians Institute than at California State University Bakersfield (about $13,632 more per year; $34,322.00 vs. $20,690.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than at Musicians Institute (91% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 197.9% larger than aid received by Musicians Institute students ($12,966 vs. $4,353).

CSU Bakersfield vs. Musicians Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Bakersfield or Musicians Institute? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Musicians Institute and CSU Bakersfield.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU Bakersfield - Test-free; Musicians Institute - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Bakersfield Dec 15, 2026.
• CSU Bakersfield has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than Musicians Institute (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.4% at CSU Bakersfield vs. 40.6% at Musicians Institute.

CSU Bakersfield vs. Musicians Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU Bakersfield and Musicians Institute? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Musicians Institute's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University Bakersfield's (41%).
• Graduates from California State University Bakersfield earn a median of about $13,400 more per year than Musicians Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,300 vs. $34,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSU Bakersfield graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Musicians Institute students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 53%)

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.