Nursing Schools in California - CA
- Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Programs in California
- ADN & BSN Pre-Nursing programs approved by the State Board of Registered Nursing.
- Find Post-Licensure BSN, MSN & Certificate Nursing Programs in California
- RN to BSN Programs in California
- LVN to RN Programs in California
- RN to MSN programs in California
- Nurse Practitioner Programs Approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing
- 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.
Everest College has emerged as having one of the top campus based LVN programs in the state, with campuses offering LVN programs in Alhambra and Anaheim. 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.
A popular option for nursing school applicants, who have been wait-listed in California for ADN or Baccalaureate programs, is to become a Medical Assistant while on the wait-list. The upside to becoming a medical assistant is that one can earn a nice salary while gaining valuable work experience. Many nursing schools are bumping up applicants who have more advanced education and clinical work experience, such as the work experience gained as a Medical Assistant. One can earn an associate’s degree or certificate in Medical Assisting in as little as 6 months for a very minimal investment. Click here to request free information from Kaplan University’s Online Medical Assisting Associate’s program to learn more.
The University of Phoenix School of Nursing offers one of the top nursing programs in California and is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).* The University of Phoenix School of Nursing admits only LVNs, LPNs or RNs to their Baccalaureate nursing degree programs in California. The University of Phoenix School of Nursing is one of the largest private nursing schools in California and is accredited by the CCNE. Students can choose to attend classes at one of the 42 campus locations throughout Southern, Central and Northern California or take classes online. Clinical course work is arranged in a student’s local geography.
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 Online Nursing Schools in California
In a hurry? Click here to request free, no obligation information from all of our featured schools. We recommend requesting free information from each of the online nursing programs. Compare each school and find the program that is right for you.

University of Phoenix College of Health and Human Services
University of Phoenix is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Nursing. All programs are designed to develop the skills of working registered nurses. Request free information from University of Phoenix below to find out more.
Walden University School of Nursing
Graduates of Walden University's Master of Science degree programs in Nursing have the knowledge and skills to be leaders in their professions and contribute to positive social change in their communities and throughout California. Walden offers programs with different areas of specialization. You may choose to specialize in Education, Informatics or Leadership & Management. Request free information from Walden University to learn more.
American Sentinel University - School of Nursing
The RN to BSN completion program is offered online and accepts Registered Nurses with current licenses and either a community college degree or a diploma. Courses and enrollment start every two weeks. Request information today!
- Click Here to request information from the American Sentinel University's Online RN to BSN Completion Program
Azusa Pacific University - Nursing
Azusa Pacific University offers an Online RN to BSN accredited by the CCNE, NLNAC and WASC. The program is enrolling now. Request information today!
- Click Here to request information from the Azusa Pacific University Online RN to BSN Program

Kaplan University School of Nursing
At Kaplan University you will find online nursing programs ranging from RN to BSN, Masters in Nursing (MSN), to certificates in Forensic Nursing and Case Management. Request free information from the Kaplan University below to learn more.
- RN to BSN
- MS in Nursing / Nurse Administrator
- MS in Nursing / Nurse Educator
- Nursing Continuing Education
Western Governors University - Nursing
Western Governors University offers an online BSN degree program for registered nurses with a diploma or an associate's degree. WGU is Regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as well as Nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council. The Online BSN program is currently accepting applications. Request information today!
- Click Here to request information from this Online BSN Program
Featured Campus Based Nursing School

University of Phoenix College of Health and Human Services
University of Phoenix offers programs at campuses throughout Northern California and Southern California. (RN to BSN, MSN, and certificates) University of Phoenix is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and is designed to develop the professional knowledge and skills of working registered nurses. Request free information below to learn more.
Featured Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Programs Approved by the California Board of Nursing
Kaplan College - San Diego
Maric 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!
- Click Here to request information from Maric College - San Diego
Additional ADN Programs Approved by the California State Board of 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Unitek College 4670 Auto Mall Parkway Fremont, CA 94538 |
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 |
| Western Career 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
| 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 |
