Bakersfield College

Today, Bakersfield College has nearly 18,000 students and nearly 1,200 employees between the two campuses and various service sites. Located 118 miles north of Los Angeles and 111 miles south of Fresno, Bakersfield College is the largest of the three colleges in the Kern Community College District. Bakersfield College serves approximately 5,000 square miles of the southern San Joaquin Valley, however, more than 84 percent of the College’s enrollment come from within 20 miles of the Panorama Campus location.

Bakersfield College meets the needs of students in the geographically large service area through instruction in; Arvin, 23 miles to the south, the Weill Institute in downtown Bakersfield, the Fire Training Center in northwest Bakersfield, Stockdale High School in southwest Bakersfield, as well as via a variety of online, television and interactive courses.

In order to better meet the needs of students and stakeholders, and to relieve long-term pressure on the Panorama Campus, Bakersfield College purchased 235 acres of land northwest of Bakersfield, and 126 acres of land south of Bakersfield. California’s uncertain economic climate has these campus expansion plans on indefinite hold.

Programs and services at Bakersfield College are aligned to fit under the state umbrella of professional-technical education and training, transfer to four-year institutions, personal and cultural enrichment, basic skills, and economic development. Bakersfield College offers more than 70 and associate of arts and associate of science degrees and more than 30 certificate programs in 25 general education disciplines and 18 career and technical areas. Students on the main campus are also provided with comprehensive student services and intercollegiate athletics opportunities on 20 men’s and women’s teams.

One of the distinguishing features of Bakersfield College is its rich history, accompanied by strong community roots. Generations of families have made Bakersfield College their preferred higher education choice. In response to the changing demographics of the surrounding community, the college reflects the vibrant cultural diversity that is increasing throughout California. While Bakersfield College has a long and rich history of excellence in serving a large and diverse student body, continuing to meet the educational needs of our rapidly increasing minority community presents a significant challenge in the face of rapidly increasing fixed costs. Bakersfield College’s student body is increasingly low-income, first-generation college-going, minority and academically underprepared. In response to this challenge, faculty, staff, administration and students have cooperated to leverage alternative sources of funding, such as Hispanic Serving Institution federal grants, to support innovative educational programming and integrated student learning opportunities.