2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, nursing was the most popular one in California. In total, 18,329 people earned a degree or certificate in the field from a school in California.
There are so many nursing programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. 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 Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 54 schools in California to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences 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 Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Colleges.
Top 10 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Samuel Merritt University the best school in California for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Samuel Merritt University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Oakland.
Nursing majors at Samuel Merritt University take out an average of $28,570 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $551.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Stanbridge University is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Stanbridge is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Irvine.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from Stanbridge carry an average student debtload of $32,734.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pacific College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Pacific College is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Costa Mesa.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at Pacific College accumulate an average of around $15,905 in student debt.
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Out of the 54 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Loma Linda University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Loma Linda, Loma Linda University is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Loma Linda University take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $34,125. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $416, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend West Coast University - Orange County. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the city of Anaheim, West Coast University - Orange County is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from West Coast University - Orange County carry an average student debtload of $38,539. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $665.
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West Coast University - Ontario did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. West Coast University - Ontario is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Ontario.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, nursing graduates from West Coast University - Ontario carry an average student debtload of $38,539. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $665.
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West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. West Coast University - Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of North Hollywood.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Los Angeles accumulate an average of around $38,539 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $665.
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Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of San Mateo, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
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California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school located in the midsize suburb of Seaside.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at CSUMB accumulate an average of around $16,909 in student debt.
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University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public school with a very large student population.
Request InformationBest Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 3,851 |
| Nevada | 2,015 |
| Alaska | 177 |
| Hawaii | 535 |
| Oregon | 1,502 |
More Nursing Rankings in California
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
| Nursing Science | 4,600 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,287 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,021 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,936 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,883 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 773 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 563 |
| School Nursing | 553 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 509 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 444 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 419 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 331 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 181 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 57 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 53 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 14 |
| Forensic Nursing | 14 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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