UAFS vs. CSU Bakersfield

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with California State University Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Bakersfield is larger than UAFS based on total student enrollment (10,419 students vs. 5,496 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); California State University Bakersfield is in Bakersfield, CA (Large City setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Bakersfield is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; California State University Bakersfield 20:1.

UAFS vs. CSU Bakersfield Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or CSU Bakersfield? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than UAFS ($6,489 vs. $11,159).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 33.1% lower than at California State University Bakersfield ($10,082 vs. $15,076).
• California State University Bakersfield is 10.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than UAFS (about $756 more per year; $8,090.00 vs. $7,334.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 69.8% higher at CSU Bakersfield than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $8,508 more per year; $20,690.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at California State University Bakersfield (95% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 68.1% larger than aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students ($12,966 vs. $7,715).

UAFS vs. CSU Bakersfield Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS or CSU Bakersfield? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSU Bakersfield and UAFS.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; CSU Bakersfield - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Bakersfield Dec 15, 2026.
• CSU Bakersfield has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than UAFS (80.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 10.4% at CSU Bakersfield.

UAFS vs. CSU Bakersfield Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and CSU Bakersfield? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University Bakersfield's six-year graduation rate (41%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from California State University Bakersfield earn a median of about $13,300 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,300 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Bakersfield graduates have a $964 lower median loan debt than UAFS graduates ($13,168 vs. $14,132).
• Among borrowers, CSU Bakersfield graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UAFS graduates ($136 vs. $146).
• More CSU Bakersfield graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.