Nursing Schools in California – CA
Select an area of interest to find Schools:
- CNA Training Programs in California
- Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Programs in California
- ADN Pre-Nursing programs approved by the State Board of Registered Nursing
- BSN Entry to Nursing Programs in California
- RN to BSN Programs in California
- LVN to RN Programs in California
- RN to MSN Programs in California
- MSN/Master’s in Nursing Programs in California
- Nurse Practitioner Programs Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing
- DNP Programs in California
- Featured Post-Licensure BSN, MSN & Certificate Nursing Programs in California
- Nursing Job Outlook and Salaries in California
Nursing programs in California have been graduating talented nurses for over 50 years. The Nursing schools in California have, unfortunately, felt the nursing shortage pinch over the last 10 years and have not been able to keep up with the demand for nursing school graduates to fill all the open positions. It has become common to be on a 4-year wait list for a nursing school in California, primarily due to the lack of nursing faculty to teach courses. Fortunately, many nursing schools in California, both public and private, have begun offering online LVN to BSN, RN to BSN, RN to MSN and MSN nursing degree programs for those currently licensed as an LVN or RN in the state and neighboring states.
Pre-licensure nursing candidates should not be discouraged from pursuing their personal and professional goals of becoming a Nurse based on waitlists or stories about new graduates having a difficult time finding jobs. Nursing is still a noble and rewarding profession and once the economy begins its turnaround there will likely once again be a strong demand for new nursing school graduates in California. To learn more about a Registered Nurse career in California as well as licensure and educational requirements check out the article, How to Become a Nurse in California.
Online Nursing Schools in California
The University of Phoenix School of Nursing, Walden School of Nursing and Kaplan School of Nursing are three of the top online nursing schools in California and are accredited by the CCNE. These online nursing programs can accelerate your path to a nursing career as opposed to one of the campus based nursing programs in California without sacrificing any quality of education. Clinical time in preceptorships is part of each online program, just like any of the accredited campus based programs. Whether you live in Los Angeles, San DIego, San Francisco, San Jose, Long Beach, Fresno, Sacramento or some other city in California, these online nursing schools will help you find a place to complete your clinical rotations near your home.
Only 60% of California’s nurses practice in hospitals. The remainder are practicing in community settings such as out-patient clinics, home care, public health, and non-traditional case management settings (State of California, Department of consumer Affairs, Board of Registered Nursing [BRN], 1990, 1993, 1997). These practice settings need nurses prepared with at least the baccalaureate for the knowledge and skills necessary for service in the community. Yet, approximately 70% of nurses in California received their initial education at the associate degree level and of these, only 16% return to school for the bachelor’s degree in nursing (BRN, 1997; Sechrist, Lewis, & Rutledge, 1999).
California Nursing Job Outlook and Salary Information
The California Nurse Outreach website put it best, “Opportunities for nurses have never been better and the demand for nurses has never been higher!” California now mandates a 1 to 5 nurse to patient bed ratio in hospitals. As of June, 2005 California had 14,000 nurse job openings, according to the California Hospital Association. Other research showed that California has fewer nurses per capita than every state except Nevada. What all this means is that the nursing job opportunities in California are excellent and will continue to be excellent. Hospitals, Home Health companies, specialty clinics and other organizations are paying higher wages, offering flexible schedules, offering tuition reimbursement and much more.
According to The Occupational Employment Survey of Employers by EDD/LMID Nursing salaries in California were as follows:
*Hourly wages range from: $23.59 to $32.29
Average hourly wage: $27.82
Average annual wage: $57,855
*The Bureau of Labor Statistics, reports that California has one of the top five highest annual mean wages for nurses at $65,100.
*Minority Nurse Magazine reported recently that registered nurses in Oakland, CA earn an average yearly salary of over $80,000 a year.
Featured Campus Based Nursing Schools
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Department of Nursing
*If you’re an RN interested in entering advanced practice and becoming a nurse practitioner, earning a Master of Science in Nursing is your best option.
Nursing@USC — the Master of Science in Nursing program from the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work — is preparing a new kind of family nurse practitioner (FNP) who will address both the biomedical and social factors affecting patient health. Through a first-of-its-kind integration of nursing and social work education, the program trains FNPs to deliver care across the life span in a variety of primary care settings.
Eligible applicants are registered nurses who have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and at least one year of clinical experience.
Mount St. Mary’s College Department of Nursing
The school is approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing. LVN Mobility Option (Allows student to take the National League for Nursing Mobility Exam. Students who score 75% or better may select to complete a BSN in three years. For those who score less, they may continue on to complete their ADN.
Programs Offered: ADN, LVN Mobility Option (LVN to ADN or LVN to BSN), BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, ADN to MSN
Mount St. Mary’s College Department of Nursing,
12001 Chalon Rd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1599
Point Loma Nazarene University School of Nursing
The School of Nursing is approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Programs Offered: BSN, LVN to BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN, BSN – MSN, (MSN Tracks: Family Clinical Nurse Specialist, Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist, Medical-Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist, Psychiatric/Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist), Post-Master’s Certificate – (Tracks: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Educator)
Point Loma Nazarene University School of Nursing,
3900 Lomaland Drive,
San Diego, CA 92106-9971
University of California San Francisco School of Nursing
The Master’s in Nursing programs offered by the University of San Francisco School of Nursing are Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited. The UCSF School of Nursing was listed “Top Ranked” in the 2007 US News America’s Best Graduate Schools survey.
Programs Offered: Master’s of Science in Nursing – (Specializations: Health Policy Nursing, Community Based Care Systems, Nurse Midwifery, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care (Adult) Clinical Nurse Specialist, Gerontological Nursing Nurse Practitioner & CNS, Occupational and Environmental Health, Oncology Nursing, Pediatric Nursing Advanced Practice, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing – NP, Integrated NP and CNS)
University of California – San Francisco School of Nursing,
2 Koret Way,
San Francisco, CA 94143-0604
University of San Diego Hahn School of Nursing & Health Science
The Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science baccalaureate and master’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Students that complete the pre-licensure component of the master’s program are eligible to apply for licensure by the Board of Registered Nursing. The master’s clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner programs are approved by the Board of Registered Nursing.
Programs Offered: RN-to-MSN, MSN, Direct-Entry MSN – (Tracks: Adult Medical-Surgical CNS, Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist, Clinical Nursing, Executive Nurse Leader, Adult NP, Family NP, Pediatric NP), Part-Time MSN, MSN/MBA, DNP, PhD
University of San Diego Hahn School of Nursing & Health Science,
5998 Alcala Park,
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing
The Master of Science in Nursing – Entry program is designed to prepare applicants with a bachelor’s degree in another field for RN licensure and then continue with the program and graduate level coursework. Students have four areas of emphasis to choose from. The Master of Science in Nursing program is California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) approved, and nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing – Entry (Emphasis Areas: Leadership and Management, Clinical Nurse Leader, Ambulatory Care, and Family Nurse Practitioner)
Western University of Health Sciences College of Graduate Nursing,
309 E. Second Street,
Pomona, CA 91766
Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Programs Approved by the California Board of Nursing
Kaplan College – San Diego
Kaplan College in San Diego offers an Associate’s in Nursing for Students interested in becoming a Registered nurse. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam. This program is approved by the California State Board of Nursing and is currently accepting new nursing student applications. Request information today!
Additional ADN Programs Approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing
| Allan Hancock College 800 South College Drive Santa Maria, CA 93454 Admits LVNs Only | American River College 4700 College Oak Drive Sacramento, CA 95841 | Antelope Valley College 3041 West Avenue K Lancaster, CA 93536-5426 |
| Bakersfield College 1801 Panorama Drive Bakersfield, CA 93305 | Chabot College 25555 Hesperian Boulevard Hayward, CA 94545 | Butte College 3536 Butte Campus Oroville, CA 95965 |
| Cabrillo College 6500 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 | Cerritos College 11110 Alondra Boulevard Norwalk, CA 90650 | Chaffey College 5885 Haven Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737 |
| Citrus College 1000 West Foothill Boulevard Glendora, CA 91741 | City College of San Francisco 50 Phelan Avenue San Francisco, CA 94112 | College of Marin 835 College Avenue Kentfield, CA 94904 |
| College of San Mateo 1700 West Hillsdale Boulevard San Mateo, CA 94402 | College of the Canyons 26455 North Rockwell Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | College of the Desert 43-500 Monterey Avenue Palm Desert, CA 92234 |
| College of the Redwoods 7351 Tompkins Hill Road Eureka, CA 95501 | College of the Sequoias 915 South Mooney Boulevard Visalia, CA 93277 | College of the Siskiyous 800 College Avenue Weed, CA 96094 |
| Contra Costa College 2600 Mission Bell Drive San Pablo, CA 94806 | Copper Mountain College 6162 Rotary Way PO Box 1398 Joshua Tree, CA 92252 | Cuesta College Post Office Box 8106 San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 |
| Cypress College 9200 Valley View Street Cypress, CA 90630 | De Anza College 21250 Stevens Creek Boulevard Cupertino, CA 95014 | East Los Angeles College 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez Monterey Park, CA 91754 |
| El Camino College 16007 Crenshaw Boulevard Torrance, CA 90506 | El Camino College – Compton Education Center 1111 Artesia Blvd. Compton, CA 90221 | Evergreen Valley College 3095 Yerba Buena Road San Jose, CA 95135 |
| Fresno City College 1101 East University Avenue Fresno, CA 93741 | Gavilan College 5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard Gilroy, CA 95020 | Glendale Community College 1500 North Verdugo Road Glendale, CA 91208 |
| Golden West College 15744 Goldenwest Street Huntington Beach, CA 92647 | Grossmont College 8800 Grossmont College Drive El Cajon, CA 92020 | Hartnell College 156 Homestead Avenue Salinas, CA 93901 |
| Imperial Valley College Post Office Box 158 Imperial, CA 92551 | Long Beach City College 4901 East Carson Street Long Beach, CA 90808 | Los Angeles City College 855 North Vermont Avenue Cubcenter Los Angeles, CA 90029 |
| Los Angeles County College of Nursing & Allied Health 1237 N. Mission+ Road Los Angeles, CA 90033 | Los Angeles Harbor College 1111 Figueroa Place Wilmington, CA 90744 | Los Angeles Pierce College 6201 Winnetka Avenue Woodland Hills, CA 91371 |
| Los Angeles Southwest College 1600 West Imperial Highway Los Angeles, CA 90047 | Los Angeles Trade-Tech College 400 West Washington Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Los Angeles Valley College 5800 Fulton Avenue Valley Glen, CA 91401 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Medanos College 2700 East Leland Road Pittsburg, CA 94565 | Maric College 9055 Balboa Avenue San Diego, CA 92123 | Mendocino College 1000 Hensley Creek Road Ukiah, CA 95482 |
| Merced College 3600 M Street Merced, CA 95348-2898 | Merritt College 12500 Campus Drive Oakland, CA 94619 | Mira Costa 1 Barnard Drive Oceanside, CA 92056 |
| Modesto Junior College 435 College Avenue Modesto, CA 95350 | Monterey Peninsula College 980 Fremont Street Monterey, CA 93940 | Moorpark College 7075 Campus Road Moorpark, CA 93021 |
| Mount St. Mary’s College 10 Chester Place Los Angeles, CA 90007 | Mt. San Antonio College 1100 North Grand Avenue Walnut, CA 91789 | Mt. San Jacinto College 23287 La Piedra Road Menifee, CA 92584 |
| Napa Valley College 2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway Napa, CA 94558 | National University 11255 N Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla, CA 92037 | Ohlone College 43600 Mission Boulevard Fremont, CA 94539 |
| Pacific Union College 1 Angwin Avenue Angwin, CA 94508 | Palomar College 1140 West Mission Road San Marcos, CA 92069 | Pasadena City College 1570 East Colorado Boulevard Pasadena, CA 91106-2003 |
| Rio Hondo College 3600 Workman Mill Road Whittier, CA 90601-1699 | Riverside Community College 4800 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92506 | Sacramento City College 3835 Freeport Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95822 |
| Saddleback College 28000 Marguerite Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92692 | San Bernardino Valley College 701 South Mount Vernon San Bernardino, CA 91024 | San Diego City College 1313 Park Boulevard San Diego, CA 92101 |
| San Joaquin Delta College 5151 Pacific Avenue Stockton, CA 95207 | San Joaquin Valley College 8400 W. Mineral King Visalia, CA 93291 | Santa Ana College 1530 West 17th Street Santa Ana, CA 92706-3398 |
| Santa Barbara City College 721 Cliff Drive Santa Barbara, CA 93109 | Santa Monica College 1900 Pico Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90405 | Santa Rosa Junior College 1501 Mendocino Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95401 |
| Shasta College 11555 Old Oregon Trail Box 496006 Redding, CA 96049-6006 | Sierra College 5000 Rocklin Road Rocklin, CA 95677 | Solano Community College 4000 Suisun Valley Road Suisun City, CA 94585-3917 |
| Southwestern Community College 900 Otay Lakes Road Chula Vista, CA 91910 | Ventura College 4667 Telegraph Road Ventura, CA 93003 | |
| Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road Victorville, CA 92392 | West Coast University – Los Angeles 4021 Rosewood Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90004 | West Coast University – Orange County 2461 West La Palma Anaheim, CA 92801 |
| Carrington College Sacramento Campus only 8909 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95826 | Yuba College 2088 North Beale Road Marysville, CA 95901 |
Baccalaureatte Nursing Degree Programs Approved by the California State Board of Nursing
West Coast University
The West Coast University BSN programs are approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing and are in the accrediting process with the CCNE.
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific University’s BSN program is accredited by the CCNE and approved by the California State Board of Nursing.
| American University of Health Sciences 3501 Atlantic Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90807 | Azusa Pacific University 901 East Alosta Avenue Azusa, CA 91702 | Biola University 13800 Biola Avenue La Mirada, CA 90639 |
|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University 8432 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92504 | California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022 | California State University, Channel Islands One University Drive Camarillo, CA 93012-8599 |
| California State University, Chico Holt Hall Room 369 Chico, CA 95929-0200 | California State University, East Bay Dept of Nursing-College of Science Hayward, CA 94542-3086 | California State University, Fresno 2345 East San Ramon Avenue Fresno, CA 93740-0025 |
| California State University, Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90840-0301 | California State University, Los Angeles 5151 State University Drive Los Angeles, CA 90032 | California State University, Northridge 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330 |
| California State University, Sacramento 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6096 | California State University, San Bernardino 5500 University Parkway San Bernardino, CA 92407 | California State University, San Marcos 335 Twin Oaks Valley Road San Marcos, CA 92096-0001 |
| California State University, Stanislaus 801 West Monte Vista Avenue Turlock, CA 95382 | Dominican University of California 50 Acacia Avenue San Rafael, CA 94901 | Humboldt State University Department of Nursing Arcata, CA 95521 |
| Loma Linda University School of Nursing — West Hall Loma Linda, CA 92350 | Mount St. Mary’s College 12001 Chalon Road Los Angeles, CA 90049 | National University 11255 N Torrey Pines Rd La Jolla, CA 92037 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University 3900 Lomaland Drive San Diego, CA 92106-2899 | Samuel Merritt College 435 Hawthorne Avenue Oakland, CA 94609 | San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-4158 |
| San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue San Francisco, CA 94132 | San Jose State University One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192-0057 | Sonoma State University 1801 East Cotati Avenue Rohnert Park, CA 94928 |
| University of California, Irvine College of Health Sciences Building 802, Room 289 Irvine, CA 92697 | University of California, Los Angeles 700 Tiverton Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90095 | University of Phoenix at Modesto (Northern CA Campus) 3600 Sisk Rd. #5a Modesto, CA 95356 |
| University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton Street San Francisco, CA 94117-1080 |