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 analysis found Samuel Merritt University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in California. 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 $20,444 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $601.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Stanbridge University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in California. 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 $31,470.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Pacific College is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Pacific College is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Costa Mesa.
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.
Nursing majors at Loma Linda University take out an average of $25,098 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $383.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend West Coast University - Orange County. It ranked #5 on our 2023 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 college with a small student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Orange County accumulate an average of around $31,215 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 $742.
Read full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County
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.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at West Coast University - Ontario take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $31,215. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $742.
With a ranking of #7, West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. West Coast University - Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of North Hollywood.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Los Angeles accumulate an average of around $31,215 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 $742.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in the midsize city of San Mateo, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Read full report on Nursing at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
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.
On average, nursing graduates from CSUMB take out $7,530 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.
University of California - Los Angeles ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Best 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 |
Nursing Related Rankings by Major
Nursing Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 262,974 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,647 |
| Nursing Practice | 8,862 |
| Nursing Administration | 8,663 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4,717 |
| Nursing Science | 4,701 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,895 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,075 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 2,011 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,768 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 747 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 622 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 567 |
| School Nursing | 539 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 502 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 340 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 269 |
| Women’s Health Nurse/Nursing | 262 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 192 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 87 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 26 |
| Forensic Nursing | 23 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 13 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Nursing
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 85,339 |
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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