Taft College

Overview

Taft College, established in 1922, is a public community college located in Taft, California, near the southern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, approximately 35 miles southwest of Bakersfield. With an open enrollment policy, the college offers a range of associate degree and certificate programs, with a noted emphasis on vocational, technical, and career education, particularly in the fields of Energy Technology and the institution's Transition to Independent Living Program (TIL), which is tailored for students with intellectual disabilities. While it does not provide on-campus housing, the college fosters a commuter-friendly campus atmosphere within its suburban setting. Academically, Taft College presents a broad selection of instructional pathways, including transfer programs to four-year universities. The college does not have an extensive athletics program and thus is not widely recognized for intercollegiate athletics.

Taft College has an open admission policy which permits enrollment by any high school graduate or GED holding student.  840 students are enrolled on a full time basis, and 3,668 attend part time. In-state tuition for 2022/2023, excluding room and board, is $1,104 plus fees of $4.