How educated is Bakersfield?

The share of adults in Bakersfield, CA with a bachelor's degree or higher, how that has shifted since 2015, and how it compares with the county, the state and the United States.

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003.

This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.

How far did Bakersfield go in school?

Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher: 23.3% — U.S.: 35.0%

Highest degree held, adults 25+ (2023)

• Bachelor's: 37391
• Graduate or professional: 20188
• No bachelor's degree: 189871

Share with a bachelor's degree or higher

• Bakersfield: 23.3
• Kern County: 18.6
• CA: 36.5
• U.S.: 35

Bachelor's degree or higher, 2015 to 2023

• 2015: 20.9
• 2023: 23.3

What it means

Bakersfield's college-degree share is far lower than the national figure — 23.3% here versus 35.0% nationally.

Since 2015 the share has risen by about 2.4 percentage points.

Educational attainment tracks adults 25 and older who live here now — it does not say where they went to school.