California State University, Bakersfield

What California State University, Bakersfield does

California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) is a public university established in 1965 and operating within the California State University system under governance of the CSU Board of Trustees. The institution serves approximately 10,419 enrolled students across four academic colleges (Arts and Humanities; Business and Public Administration; Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering; Social Sciences and Education) through 55+ degree programs, with additional presence at its Antelope Valley campus in northern Kern County. It is the only public university within a 90-mile radius of Bakersfield, drawing primarily from the Southern San Joaquin Valley, and supports 16 NCAA Division I athletic teams competing in the Big West Conference.

CSUB's technology backbone consists of standard higher-education infrastructure: Canvas for learning management, Microsoft 365 for productivity, ServiceNow for IT service management, and CHRS for human resources. The institution's digital ecosystem for students is anchored by the AccessCSUB portal, which integrates Canvas, myCSUB (student information system), and Microsoft 365. Its most notable technology-driven initiative is the SPARKS program, a first-in-the-nation partnership with OpenAI launching Fall 2026, in which students learn prompt engineering and large language model development directly from OpenAI engineers and apply those skills to problems faced by Kern County nonprofits.

CSUB's revenue model is multi-stream and structurally different from a commercial enterprise: state appropriations through the CSU system, tuition and fees (set system-wide and billed annually), philanthropy (notably the 'Runners on the Rise' campaign, which has raised $47M of a $55M goal from 5,900+ donors), grants, and athletics revenue (tickets, operations, sponsorships through an expanded partnership with Taymar). Customer segments include undergraduate students, graduate students, and the broader alumni and Kern County community (62,000+ alumni). Distribution is direct through the two physical campuses and online learning platforms, with no commercial product or external software offering.

Name

California State University, Bakersfield

Legal name

California State University, Bakersfield

Website

https://csub.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

California State University, Bakersfield is a public CSU-system university serving 10,419 students in the Southern San Joaquin Valley with 55+ degree programs across four academic colleges, NCAA Division I athletics, and a flagship SPARKS AI partnership with OpenAI launching Fall 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Club Sports Programs (MPAKACAK), National Collegiate Governing Bodies (e.g., NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA/USCAA) (MPAKACAC)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Public university education
• NCAA athletics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including in-state and out-of-state fees, along with various campus fees for services.
2. State Funding: California State University system funding from state appropriations for public education operations.
3. Philanthropy and Donations: The 'Runners on the Rise' comprehensive fundraising campaign targeting $55 million with $47 million raised as of the campaign period.
4. Athletics Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales, operations, and sponsorships through the expanded partnership with Taymar for Cal State Bakersfield Athletics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

California State University, Bakersfield is a public university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, continuing and extended education, and student support services across four academic colleges (Arts and Humanities, Business and Public Administration, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, and Social Sciences and Education). It also operates a 16-team NCAA Division I athletics program (GoRunners) and runs the SPARKS program—a first-in-the-nation AI-focused academic initiative developed in partnership with OpenAI launching in Fall 2026.

Product overview

California State University, Bakersfield is a public university offering educational programs and student services rather than a commercial software product. The university's digital ecosystem consists of student-facing portals (AccessCSUB, myCSUB, Canvas LMS) and academic programs including the SPARKS AI partnership with OpenAI. The institution also operates a Division I athletics program (GoRunners) with 16 teams competing in the Big West Conference. The offerings are integrated through standard higher education technology infrastructure rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPARKS AI Program A first-in-the-nation partnership between California State University Bakersfield and OpenAI offering three AI-focused classes where students learn directly from OpenAI engineers on prompt engineering and large language model development, applying skills to help local Kern County nonprofits solve problems.
• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's degree programs offered across four academic colleges: Arts and Humanities, Business and Public Administration, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, and Social Sciences and Education, with 55+ degree program options for first-time freshmen and transfer students.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's degree programs and advanced credentials for career advancement, offered across CSUB's academic colleges for students seeking professional development and specialized knowledge.
• University Athletics (GoRunners) NCAA Division I athletics program competing in the Big West Conference, featuring 16 athletic teams including men's and women's basketball, generating revenue through ticket sales, operations, and sponsorships via the Taymar partnership.
• Antelope Valley Campus Programs Branch campus serving the northern part of Kern County, delivering CSUB academic programs and student services to the Antelope Valley region.
• Extended Education Continuing education and extended learning programs for community members and professionals seeking lifelong learning opportunities beyond traditional degree programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• No. 10 Social Mobility Index ranking out of 1,400+ schools (CollegeNET, 2022)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• OpenAIflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026First-in-the-nation partnership to offer three AI-focused classes starting fall 2026. Students will learn directly from OpenAI engineers on prompt engineering and large language model development through the SPARKS program. Students apply skills to help local nonprofits solve problems facing Kern County.
• California Resources Corporation (Carbon TerraVault)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Department of Energy reaffirmed federal support for the Elk Hills CO2 Storage project in partnership with CSUB. First carbon dioxide injection at California's inaugural carbon capture and storage project at CRC's Elk Hills facility.
• TaymarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2026Multiyear expansion of athletics partnership to include ticket sales, operations, and sponsorships under a unified revenue model. First client in California, Big West Conference, and Pac-12 conferences. Streamlines revenue generation and provides flexible giving options for donors.
• Vandenberg Space Force BaseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Partnership with Brigham Young University and California State University Bakersfield to study rocket noise. Vandenberg has seen a 1,300% increase in launches since 2019 and provides significant economic impact ($5.5 billion) to the local region.
• Western University of Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Strategic partnership with Kern Medical, California State University Bakersfield, and Bakersfield College to develop local physicians in Kern County. Addresses healthcare provider shortage in the area through collaborative medical education.
• Kern MedicalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Strategic partnership to nurture and train physicians in Kern County. Part of broader healthcare workforce development initiative.
• Bakersfield CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Collaborative partnership to develop local physicians and address healthcare provider shortage in Kern County.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• California State University, Northridge: Larger CSU campus offering similar undergraduate breadth with a more established brand and broader program portfolio, useful for benchmarking enrollment, athletics, and fundraising scale.
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Flagship CSU STEM-and-applied-learning campus with similarly strong NCAA Division I presence; key reference point for the Energy Innovation Building investment and applied-research positioning.

Direct peers

• California State University, San Bernardino: Peer CSU campus comparable in enrollment scale, regional university role, Hispanic-Serving Institution status, and emphasis on social mobility and economic advancement for Inland Empire students.
• University of California, Merced: Closest UC system peer geographically and demographically — a young, research-active public university serving a previously underserved Central Valley region with a similar social-mobility-driven enrollment profile.
• California State University, Fresno: Another CSU system campus serving a similar Central Valley student profile with comparable undergraduate/graduate mix, NCAA Division I athletics, and emphasis on social mobility for regional first-generation students.
• California State University, Sacramento: Comparable mid-size CSU campus competing for transfer and first-time freshmen from Northern/Central California with similar tuition structure, athletics footprint, and public-mission positioning.

Regional players

• Western University of Health Sciences: Regional healthcare education partner collaborating on physician pipeline development in Kern County; comparable in offering specialized professional credentialing locally rather than competing on traditional undergraduate programs.
• Bakersfield College: Local community college and explicit CSUB partner through the Kern County physician pipeline partnership; competing/feeder institution for transfer students into CSUB's undergraduate programs.
• Antelope Valley College: Local community college in the Antelope Valley region served by CSUB's satellite campus; comparable junior-college role as a transfer feeder and partner for adult re-entry students.

Others

• Big West Conference peer institution (e.g., UC Santa Barbara): Conference peer in NCAA Division I Big West athletics — relevant comparison for the Taymar revenue partnership, ticket/sponsorship scale, and Division I athletics operating economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csubakersfield
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CSUBakersfield
• Facebookfacebook.com/csubakersfield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/california-state-university-bakersfield
• Instagraminstagram.com/csubakersfield

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California State University, Bakersfield