California pays registered nurses more than any other state. As of the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the median California RN earned $140,270 a year against a national median of $97,550 – a gap of roughly $43,000. The spread within the state is what makes that number worth reading carefully: the bottom 10% of California RNs earned about $101,260 and the top 10% about $213,320. Even the 10th percentile in California sits above the national median, but the distance between a new graduate in an inland county and a senior specialty nurse in the Bay Area is more than $100,000 a year.
Wages are not the only reason nurses move to California. In 1999 the state passed AB 394, becoming the first in the country to mandate minimum RN-to-patient ratios in hospitals. The bill left the specific numbers to the Department of Health Services, which issued regulations that took effect on January 1, 2004 and set limits such as 1:2 in intensive care and 1:5 on medical-surgical units. Those ratios are a legal ceiling on assignment size rather than a target, and they are the concrete reason California working conditions are cited as a national benchmark. The California Nurses Association, now part of National Nurses United, campaigned for the law and has continued to press for its enforcement.
Nursing programs here are accredited by one of two national bodies: CCNE, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, which accredits baccalaureate and graduate programs; or ACEN, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, which accredits practical, associate, baccalaureate and graduate programs. National accreditation is a separate matter from state approval. To sit the NCLEX in California you need to graduate from a program approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (for RN programs) or the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (for LVN programs). Accreditation is what makes your credits transfer and your degree acceptable to graduate programs and to employers who require one.
In addition to great working conditions, California also has a variety of programs available to nursing students, from diploma level to a doctorate degree. Students also have the possibility to select from a choice of school environments, ranging from small community colleges, private schools, or large state-owned universities as well as associate degrees (2-year programs in California), bachelor degrees, or advanced studies in nursing.
California uses the title LVN (licensed vocational nurse) rather than LPN, which is what most other states call the same credential. If you’re already a CNA, there are CNA to LVN programs in California. And if you’re already an LVN, there are LVN to RN bridge programs in California.
California residents and prospective nurses also have available a range of scholarships through private organizations, health care institutions, universities, and local businesses. Have a look at our guide to paying for nursing school for more information.
Featured schools
California State University, Bakersfield
CSU Bakersfield offers a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to students who currently do not have any nursing experience, but they need to take one year of pre-requisite courses and three years of nursing courses. Once those are completed, the student will receive their BSN degree along with eligibility to apply for an RN licensure examination.
Another popular program at the school is the RN to BSN program. It’s designed for students who currently have an Associate’s Degree in Nursing and want to obtain a BSN. The program takes approximately 15 months for the students to complete. CSU Bakersfield’s nursing programs are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Department of Nursing 9001 Stockdale Hwy, 29RNC Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: (661)-654-2505
University of California, San Francisco
UCSF is a graduate-only health sciences campus, so it does not offer a BSN. Students earn a Master of Science in Nursing, a PhD in Nursing, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The programs focus on advanced clinical practice, applying and evaluating nursing theory, and analyzing the cultural, political, and social context of healthcare.
UCSF’s entry route for applicants who are not already nurses was the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN), which confers a master’s degree rather than a BSN. The school paused MEPN admissions while it reviews its academic offerings, and it remains paused as of 2026 – check the UCSF School of Nursing admissions page for current status before planning around it. UCSF’s programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
Department of Nursing 2 Koret Way San Francisco, CA 94143 Phone: (415) 476-1435
San Diego State University
San Diego State University has four nursing degrees for students: Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN), Registered Nurse to BSN, Master of Science in Nursing, and Licensed Vocational Nurse to Registered Nurse. Students are taught how to make professional decisions, utilize research to the nursing process, develop critical thinking skills necessary for nursing, and focus on the trends of the healthcare system.
The coursework includes classroom and labs as well as internships at local healthcare facilities. SDSU’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing; its nurse-midwifery track is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. Note that the American Association of Colleges of Nursing is a membership association, not an accreditor – CCNE is the autonomous accrediting arm AACN established in 1996, and school pages frequently conflate the two.
SDSU School Of Nursing Adams Humanities Building rm #3138 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-4158 Phone: (619) 594-2540
Azusa Pacific University
This Christian university is a private school that offers nursing as well as multiple other programs. Students can take one of the five undergraduate programs to get their nursing license and then move on to any of the six Master’s programs at APU. From there, APU has two nursing Doctoral programs for anyone who wishes to take their degree to the next level.
Azusa Pacific University also offers international opportunities for anyone who is interested, from short-term missions to entire semesters spent in other countries. It is a great opportunity for students to learn about foreign healthcare systems and research the weaknesses and strengths of healthcare when compared to the United States.
The Azusa Pacific School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. The university as a whole holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which is a separate thing from programmatic nursing accreditation.
Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing 701 E. Foothill Blvd. Azusa, CA 91702 Phone: (626) 815-5386
Nursing schools in California
The table below lists baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs across California with their national accreditor. It is a starting point for building a shortlist, not a licensure record: accreditation status, program offerings, and even institution names change, and several California schools have been renamed, merged, or closed since this list was first compiled. Verify any program against the BRN’s approved-program list and the accreditor’s own directory before you apply. Where a school appears below with both accreditors, it typically holds each for different programs rather than holding both for the same one.
| School | Location | Programs | Accreditor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa | BSN, MSN, doctoral | CCNE |
| Biola University | La Mirada | BSN, MSN | ACEN |
| California State University, Bakersfield | Bakersfield | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University, Chico | Chico | BSN, MSN | CCNE and ACEN |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills | Carson | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University, East Bay | Hayward | BSN | CCNE |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno | BSN, MSN | ACEN |
| California State University, Fullerton | Fullerton | BSN, MSN | CCNE and ACEN |
| California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | BSN, MSN | ACEN |
| California State University, Northridge | Northridge | BSN | CCNE |
| California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University, San Bernardino | San Bernardino | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University, Stanislaus | Turlock | BSN | CCNE |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda | BSN, MSN, PhD | CCNE |
| Mount Saint Mary’s University | Los Angeles | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| National University | San Diego | BSN | CCNE |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin | BSN | ACEN |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Saint Mary’s College of California | Moraga | BSN | see note below |
| Samuel Merritt University | Oakland | BSN, MSN, doctoral | CCNE |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | BSN, MSN, PhD | CCNE |
| University of California, San Francisco | San Francisco | MSN, DNP, PhD (no BSN) | CCNE |
| University of San Diego (Hahn School of Nursing) | San Diego | BSN, MSN, PhD, DNP | CCNE |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Western University of Health Sciences | Pomona | MSN | CCNE |
Four changes worth knowing about, because older versions of lists like this one circulate widely and still carry the outdated entries:
- Cal State Hayward is now Cal State East Bay. The CSU Board of Trustees approved the renaming in January 2005 to reflect a broader regional mission. The nursing programs continue at the Hayward campus.
- Humboldt State University is now Cal Poly Humboldt, renamed in January 2022 when it became California’s third polytechnic. Its BSN history is complicated: the university discontinued its BSN in 2011 and later relaunched nursing as an ADN-to-BSN concurrent enrollment partnership with regional community colleges. Confirm what is currently offered before applying.
- Holy Names University in Oakland closed at the end of the spring 2023 semester after 154 years, citing declining enrollment and rising costs. Its academic programs transferred to Dominican University of California under a formal agreement, and continuing students were able to finish there.
- The Samuel Merritt / Saint Mary’s Intercollegiate Nursing Program no longer exists. That consortium, launched in 1981, ended in 2008; a successor 2+2 arrangement ran through the 2013–14 academic year and then also ended. Saint Mary’s College of California launched its own Bachelor of Science in Nursing in fall 2025, so a Saint Mary’s nursing degree today is a Saint Mary’s degree rather than a Samuel Merritt one.
Two other renamings you may encounter in older directories: Samuel Merritt College became Samuel Merritt University in 2009, and Mount Saint Mary’s College became Mount Saint Mary’s University in 2015.
For the authoritative and current list, use the California Board of Registered Nursing’s own approved prelicensure program directory, which carries every BRN-approved associate, baccalaureate, and entry-level master’s program along with contact details, tuition, and approved annual enrollment. For LVN programs, use the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. To confirm national accreditation, check the accreditor rather than the school: the CCNE program directory and the ACEN program search.
Related guide
For admissions requirements, program costs, and how to choose the right program, read our full guide to Nursing schools in California: programs, costs, and how to get in.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141), California state estimates, May 2025. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm
- California Board of Registered Nursing. Approved prelicensure registered nursing programs. https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/programs.shtml
- California Legislature. AB 394 (Kuehl), Health facilities: nursing staff, Chapter 945, Statutes of 1999. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=199920000AB394
- California Department of Finance. E-6 population estimates and components of change by county, July 1, 2020–2025. https://dof.ca.gov/forecasting/demographics/estimates/E-6/
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Procedures for accreditation of baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. https://www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Accredited nursing programs directory. https://www.acenursing.org/
- Holy Names University. Holy Names University in Oakland to close after spring semester in May 2023. December 2022. https://hnu.edu/news/holy-names-university-in-oakland-to-close-after-spring-semester-in-may-2023/
- Cal Poly Humboldt. Humboldt State University is now Cal Poly Humboldt. January 2022. https://www.humboldt.edu/about/polytechnic
- Saint Mary’s College of California. Saint Mary’s is launching a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in fall 2025. https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/news/saint-marys-launching-new-bachelor-science-nursing-program-fall-2025
- UCSF School of Nursing. Admissions and program information. https://nursing.ucsf.edu/admissions/admissions