Best Space Studies Schools Near Shafter, CA (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Shafter, California has 1 accredited school offering space studies programs. Shafter has a population of about 20,618. Median household income is $67,989 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 10.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $156,270 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Shafter

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer space studies programs near Shafter, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Shafter city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Shafter. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 106.2 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 9%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,511
Avg net price $12,548/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,203
Out‑of‑state$49,403
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 161

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA 110.9 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
82.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 95%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $128,566
Avg net price $16,075/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 113.3 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 267

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey, CA 168.3 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 190.8 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 222.9 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
83.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 36%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,909
Avg net price $15,364/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 236.9 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 238.9 miles from Shafter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California space studies page.

Space Studies Wages Near Shafter

Shafter is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Astronomers $123,540 CA statewide $122,438
Physicists $135,260 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $134,054
Aerospace Engineers $128,720 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $127,572
Natural Sciences Managers $156,270 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $154,876
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $124,920 CA statewide $123,806
Engineers, All Other $139,980 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $138,731
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $133,230 CA statewide $132,042
Physical Scientists, All Other $137,340 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $136,115

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Shafter at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 20,618 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,989 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 10.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Shafter-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited space studies schools are near Shafter, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering space studies programs near Shafter. The closest is Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA (79.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Santa Barbara City College (79.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near Shafter?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near Shafter are: Natural Sciences Managers ($156,270), Engineers, All Other ($139,980), Physical Scientists, All Other ($137,340). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wasco instead of Shafter?

Wasco, CA is 12.4 miles from Shafter and has its own set of local space studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Shafter an affordable place to study space studies?

Shafter’s median household income of $67,989 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shafter while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Shafter

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Shafter:

Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Space Studies Schools in California (2026)