Nursing Degrees & Schools / Best Schools California
California is home to the highest number of registered nurses in the nation with over 457,000 in the state alone. As the elderly population in the state advances in age, there’s going to be even more need for nurses in the coming years. Additionally, California is the highest paying state for registered nurses as they make over $120,560 per year.
Many of the registered nurses in California want to advance their careers by going back to school to obtain a higher degree. There are many different options for nurses to choose from when it comes to nursing degree types.
Some of the more common degree types are:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
However, there are also accelerated degree programs and bridge programs offered to nursing students that can greatly reduce the amount of time spent in school.
California has many options for nurses seeking to advance their careers. Fortunately, we have created a list of the best nursing schools in the state to help make it easier.
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In this post we will explore the following:
To capture the best schools in each state, we applied a rigorous formula, isolating five variables that were weighted equally:
- Graduation rate
- NCLEX pass rate
- CCNE accreditation
- Programs offered
- Tuition costs (based on in-state tuition, attending the maximum number of credits; mandatory fees not included)
California’s top nursing program:
- Cal State University, Long Beach
- California State, Fullerton
- San Diego State University
- California State University, Stanislaus
- California State University, San Marcos
- California State University, Sacramento
- California State University, Chico
- University of California, Irvine
- California State University, Channel Islands
- California State University, Fresno
1. Cal State University, Long Beach – Score 96
NCLEX pass rate: 99.25%
Tuition per year: $5,742
Cal State University, Long Beach, is located just 30 minutes from the ocean and boasts one of the more prestigious schools in the nation. Its nursing programs have received national and international recognition.
The school offers four nursing programs:
- ADN to RN
- RN to BSN
- MSN
- DNP
Each program prepares students to enter into nursing well prepared to excel in their profession.
The graduate program has partnered with the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian to allow graduate students an opportunity to enroll in courses offered on the hospital campus.
2. California State, Fullerton – Score 90
NCLEX pass rate: 96.55%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State Fullerton’s nursing program has provided nurses with exceptional education for over 40 years.
Their program offers the following degrees:
- LVN to BSN
- RN to BSN
- MSN
- DNP
The school partners with several prominent healthcare providers such as Kaiser Permanente. Cal State, Fullerton, takes great pride in helping students transition from the classroom to the medical unit.
3. San Diego State University – Score 88
NCLEX pass rate: 93.91%
Tuition per year: $8,136 (includes student fees)
San Diego State University’s nursing program has educated students since 1953 and is one of the more distinguished nursing programs in the nation. The program is accredited by the CCNE and the California Board of Registered Nursing.
The program offers its students several options when it comes to nursing programs. They currently offer the following degrees:
- LVN to RN
- RN to BSN
- BSN
- MSN
The school also offers a study abroad program for its nursing students.
4. California State University, Stanislaus – Score 88
NCLEX pass rate: 98.21%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University, Stanislaus, is located in Turlock, California, home to more than 11,000 students. As one of the more premier nursing programs in the country, the school offers a bevy of programs for its nursing students.
The primary nursing programs offered include:
- LVN to BSN
- RN to BSN
- ABSN
- MSN
This program goes out of its way to help students learn how to provide patient-centered and evidence-based care.
5. California State University, San Marcos – Score 86
NCLEX pass rate: 97.66%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University, San Marcos, is located in Southern California, about a ten-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean. The university enrolls over 14,000 students. Their nursing program offers a wide variety of programs for its students, including an online RN to BSN program.
The full catalog of nursing programs includes:
- LVN to BSN
- RN to BSN
- BSN
- ABSN
- MSN
6. California State University, Sacramento – Score 85
NCLEX pass rate: 98.53%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University, Sacramento, is home to over 31,000 students and is located in the capital of California. The nursing program is both affordable and convenient for students.
The school offers the following degree programs:
- LVN to RN
- RN to BSN
- BSN
- MSN
7. California State University, Chico – Score 83
NCLEX pass rate: 97.33%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University, Chico, is located in northern California and has provided educational services to students for over 130 years. The school has over 16,000 students and an average class size of 32 students, giving it a cozy atmosphere.
The school’s nursing program offers students with the following degree programs:
- RN to BSN
- BSN
- MSN
8. University of California, Irvine – Score 82
NCLEX pass rate: 98.98%
Tuition per year: $15,737.23 (includes students fees)
University of California, Irvine, is a distinguished school known for producing three Nobel laureates since its founding. The school has over 37,000 students enrolled and offers 222 different degree programs. The nursing school, in particular, is impressive given its rigor and the flexibility it offers students.
Their nursing program offers the following degrees:
- BSN
- Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)
- DNP
9. California State University, Channel Islands – Score 80
NCLEX pass rate: 96.72%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University, Channel Islands, is located in Camarillo, California and was established in 2002. The school sits between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles and is relatively close to the Pacific Ocean. With just over 7,000 students enrolled, the school prides itself on feeling like an extended family for students.
The nursing program seeks to teach students how to utilize evidence-based practices to provide care to patients.
Currently, the school provides students with the following nursing program options:
- RN to BSN
- MSN
10. California State University, Fresno – Score 79
NCLEX pass rate: 93.08%
Tuition per year: $5,742
California State University Fresno, home of the Bulldogs, is located in central California and has over 24,000 students enrolled at their school. The nursing program provides its students with a great opportunity given the proximity to the numerous schools within the valley.
Their nursing program offers the following degrees:
- BSN
- MSN
- DNP
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How to choose the right nursing program
Choosing the right nursing program may feel stressful. The good news is that we’ve provided several factors for you to consider to help make your decision easier. Some of the factors you should consider when choosing a school are location, tuition, NCLEX scores, and programs offered.
Location
This is a major factor for a lot of nursing students when choosing a program to attend. Most nursing programs don’t have online components, so you must select a program that you can easily commute to. The worst thing would be to choose a program that becomes a burden to you simply because it’s too far from your house. Below is a map that shows where each school is located.
Tuition
Let’s face it: paying for school can be a huge barrier for students. Also, many nurses end up absorbing a massive amount of student debt from their years of college. Additionally, some nurses transition into the field after spending years in another specialty or having another degree from which they’ve already accumulated student debt.
Finding a school that’s both affordable and reputable can seem challenging. Fortunately, you don’t have to jeopardize quality over price. Several of the schools we analyzed were both affordable and highly respected.
NCLEX scores
One of the most critical measures of a nursing program’s credibility is its NCLEX pass rates. The NCLEX test is an examination that measures a potential registered nurse’s aptitude. A good NCLEX pass rate for a school is anything in the 90th percentile and above.
Programs offered
The programs offered at the particular school you want to go to is critically important. You need to make sure that the school you are applying to has the program that you need. There are many different nursing programs offered at various schools. The principal baseline program offered at most universities is the BSN program. However, every person has different needs, and choosing the right program depends on the career track you are interested in.
Graduation Rate
The last factor that you should consider when choosing a nursing program is the graduation rate. A higher graduation rate indicates that the school graduates first-year students within 4-6 years at a greater rate than other schools. Knowing that your school has a proven track record of graduating students on time is crucial.
Top nursing jobs in California on Incredible Health
🏥 Clinical Nurse Educator – Surgical
Oakland, CA | $115,000 to $145,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – CVICU
Los Angeles, CA | $46,000 to $145,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Med Surg Oncology
Berkeley, CA | $81,490 to $167,370 /year
🏥 Staff Nurse (RN), Med Surg
Crescent City, CA | $81,490 to $167,370 /year
🏥 Staff Nurse (RN), Med Surg
Temecula, CA | $65,000 to $160,850 /year
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Ranking methodology
We retrieved our data from the following locations:
- University webpages
- The state board of registered nursing if applicable (for example, California’s Board of Registered Nursing)
- The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard
- The American Association of Colleges of Nursing
- U.S. News Best Colleges
To calculate the scores for the respective schools, we took the lowest-scoring school from each individual metric, assigned it a 1 and gave the highest score a 10. We then were able to create brackets within that range to place each college in.
After coming up with a score for each school out of ten for their respective metric, we added them up and multiplied them by two to come up with a score out of 100.
