Kern Community College District

Kern Community College District is a public community college district with administrative operations associated with Ridgecrest, California, in Kern County. The district includes Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso Community College, and Porterville College, collectively serving a large and geographically diverse student population across the southern San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert, and surrounding regions. The district provides associate degree and certificate programs in academic transfer and career and technical education.

Through its member colleges, Kern Community College District offers programs in fields such as automotive technology, welding, nursing, computer information systems, business administration, and administration of justice, among many others. Cerro Coso Community College, which serves the Ridgecrest and Eastern Sierra area, is particularly relevant to the district's Ridgecrest presence and provides career and technical education tailored to local workforce needs including those related to the nearby Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

Ridgecrest is located in the Indian Wells Valley of Kern County, with a local economy anchored by defense and aerospace industries. Kern Community College District supports workforce development and educational access for residents across one of California's largest and most economically diverse regions.