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Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

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2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

22 Colleges
$41,222 Avg Salary
$20,983 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree School for You

With 84,274 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, practical nursing and nursing assistants is the #2 most popular major in the United States.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for nursing students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

The Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 22 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

Check out the practical nursing associate degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 10 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools

Our 2023 rankings named Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts the best school in the Far Western US Region for practical nursing and nursing assistants students working on their associate degree. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a small private for-profit school located in the city of San Mateo.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts take out while working on their Associate Degree is $18,804.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Report

#2

Unitek College

Fremont, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Unitek College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Unitek College is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Fremont.

Practical Nursing majors at Unitek College take out an average of $20,602 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $184, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#3

Pacific College

Costa Mesa, CA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Pacific College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the midsize city of Costa Mesa, Pacific College is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

While working on their Associate Degree, practical nursing majors at Pacific College accumulate an average of around $20,773 in student debt.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Pacific College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carrington College, Sacramento. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the large suburb of Sacramento, Carrington College, Sacramento is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Carrington College, Sacramento take out while working on their Associate Degree is $31,342.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Carrington College, Sacramento Report

#5

Merced College

Merced, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Merced College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the small city of Merced, Merced Community College District is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

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#7

Cuesta College

San Luis Obispo, CA

Cuesta College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

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#8

Sacramento City College

Sacramento, CA

Sacramento City College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the city of Sacramento, Sacramento City is a public college with a large student population.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Sacramento City College

#9

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA

Riverside City College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for practical nursing and nursing assistants students to get a associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Riverside City College is a large public school located in the large city of Riverside.

After completing their Associate Degree, practical nursing graduates from Riverside City College carry an average student debtload of $7,686.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Riverside City College Report

#10

Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara City College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Located in the city of Santa Barbara, SBCC is a public school with a large student population.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Santa Barbara City College

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing and nursing assistants colleges for a specific state in the Far Western US region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 113
California 1,055
Nevada 0

Practical Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 44,900
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 34,557
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,817

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 322,592

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 22 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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