California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), located in Bakersfield, California, was founded in 1965. CSUB opened in 1970 on a 375 acre (1.5 km²) campus, becoming the 19th school in the California State University system. The university offers 31 bachelor's and 22 master's degree programs. The main building is the Walter Stiern Library, with a 650,000 volume capacity.

The university is part of the NCAA Division II program, and invests heavily in its athletic department. The Roadrunner sports teams have won national championships in men's basketball, swimming, wrestling, and soccer, and women's volleyball, tennis, and softball.

As of fall 2002, some 7,700 undergraduate and graduate students attended CSUB, at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the satellite campus in Antelope Valley.