2023 Best Nursing Schools in California
Finding the Best Nursing 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.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Nursing Schools in California ranking. This report analyzed 124 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for nursing students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Nursing Schools in California
Check out the nursing programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 15% Best Nursing Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Samuel Merritt University the best school in California for nursing students. Samuel Merritt University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Oakland.
On average, nursing graduates from Samuel Merritt University take out $25,500 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $551.
Out of the 124 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanbridge University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Stanbridge is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Irvine.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Stanbridge take out is $37,517.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a great place for nursing students. Located in the midsize city of San Mateo, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts take out $18,603 in student loans while working on their degree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, L.A. County School of Nursing is a public college with a fairly small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at L.A. County School of Nursing accumulate an average of around $19,688 in student debt.
Read full report on Nursing at Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health
The excellent programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in California. USC is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
Pacific College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list. Pacific College is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Costa Mesa.
With a ranking of #7, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the large suburb of San Marcos, USAHS is a private for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
Loma Linda University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Loma Linda, Loma Linda University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at Loma Linda University accumulate an average of around $32,500 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $416, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Touro University California landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the midsize city of Vallejo, TUC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Nursing majors at TUC take out an average of $16,982 in student loans while working on their egree.
West Coast University - Ontario ranked #10 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list. West Coast University - Ontario is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Ontario.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at West Coast University - Ontario accumulate an average of around $38,146 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.
Read full report on Nursing at West Coast University - Ontario
West Coast University - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for nursing students. It came in at #11 on the list. West Coast University - Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of North Hollywood.
After completing their degree, nursing graduates from West Coast University - Los Angeles carry an average student debtload of $38,146. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $665.
California State University - Monterey Bay came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Seaside.
While working on their degree, nursing majors at CSUMB accumulate an average of around $13,312 in student debt.
With a ranking of #13, West Coast University - Orange County did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students. Located in the city of Anaheim, West Coast University - Orange County is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, nursing graduates from West Coast University - Orange County take out $38,146 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $665.
Full Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County Report
American University of Health Sciences landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. Located in the large suburb of Signal Hill, AUHS Signal Hill is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at AUHS Signal Hill take out is $46,029. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $471.
Full Nursing at American University of Health Sciences Report
University of California - San Francisco landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs. UCSF is a small public school located in the city of San Francisco.
Read full report on Nursing at University of California - San Francisco
Unitek College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of Fremont, Unitek College is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, nursing graduates from Unitek College take out $23,468 in student loans while working on their degree.
Chamberlain University - California came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking. Located in the city of Rancho Cordova, Chamberlain - California is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
The average amount in student loans that nursing majors at Chamberlain - California take out is $38,460. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $256, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
University of California - Davis came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for Nursing students in the state of California that almost earned our Best Nursing Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park, CA |
| 20 | California State University - Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA |
| 21 | Western University of Health Sciences | Pomona, CA |
| 22 | California State University - Stanislaus | Turlock, CA |
| 23 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 24 | Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA |
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 |
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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