Cal State University, Bakersfield: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

California State University, Bakersfield is a public university with an acceptance rate of 81%. Located on a 375-acre campus in Bakersfield, a city in the San Joaquin Valley midway between Fresno and Los Angeles, Cal State Bakersfield is one of the 23 schools in the California State University System. The university offers 45 bachelor's and 21 graduate degree programs. Among undergraduates, liberal arts and sciences, engineering, and business administration are the most popular majors. In athletics, the Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference.

Considering applying to Cal State Bakersfield? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Cal State Bakersfield had an acceptance rate of 81%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 81 students were admitted, making CSUB's admissions process somewhat less competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Cal State Bakersfield requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 87% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of CSUB's admitted students fall within the bottom 29% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Cal State Bakersfield scored between 440 and 540, while 25% scored below 440 and 25% scored above 540. On the math section, 50% of students admitted to CSUB scored between 440 and 540, while 25% scored below 440 and 25% scored above 540. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1080 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Cal State University Bakersfield.

Requirements

Cal State Bakersfield does not require the SAT writing section. Note that CSUB will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Cal State Bakersfield requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 19% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of CSUB's admitted students fall within the bottom 20% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Cal State Bakersfield received a composite ACT score between 15 and 21, while 25% scored above 21 and 25% scored below 15.

Requirements

Cal State Bakersfield does not require the ACT writing section. Note that Cal State Bakersfield does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered.

GPA

In 2018, the average high school GPA for freshman admitted to Cal State University Bakersfield was 3.30. These results suggest that most successful applicants to CSUB have primarily B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Cal State University Bakersfield. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Cal State Bakersfield, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead, admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements (A-G college preparatory requirements) include four years of English; three years of math; two years of history and social science; two years of laboratory science; two years of a foreign language other than English; one year of visual or performing arts; and one year of a college preparatory elective. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. The majority of students had GPAs over 2.75, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 900 or higher, and ACT scores of 17 or higher.

If You Like Cal State Bakersfield, You May Also Like These Schools

• University of California - Davis
• University of California - Riverside
• Chapman University
• Cal State University, Los Angeles
• Mills College
• Pitzer College
• Stanford University

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and California State University, Bakersfield Undergraduate Admissions Office.