2023 Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which nursing program is right 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. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Nursing Degree Search has created the Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in California to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 38 schools in California to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for nursing students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found California State University - Monterey Bay to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in California. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school situated in Seaside, California. It awarded 1,933 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at CSUMB is $7,323. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,203. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $15,037 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at CSUMB. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of California - Los Angeles helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in California. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 9,851 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UCLA is $13,401. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $43,473. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UCLA accumulate an average of $15,421 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at UCLA. In fact, around 85% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means California State University - Dominguez Hills is a great place for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,761 students in 2021-2022.
Students from California who attend CSUDH full time pay an average of $7,060 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,940. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from CSUDH accumulate an average of $16,788 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
CSUDH does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Read full report on California State University - Dominguez Hills
Out of the 38 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Sonoma State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Sonoma State University is a medium-sized public school located in Rohnert Park, California that handed out 2,258 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from California who attend SSU full time pay an average of $8,060 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $19,940. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from SSU accumulate an average of $17,857 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SSU. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 38 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Sacramento landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Sacramento, California, the large public school awarded 7,486 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Sac State is $7,484. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,364. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,817 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Sac State does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Read full report on California State University - Sacramento
University of San Francisco ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,626 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
USFCA does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $55,532. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from USFCA accumulate an average of $21,314 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
USFCA does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
California State University - Stanislaus landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. This fairly large public school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 2,553 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Stan State is $7,734. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,614. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $16,229 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Stan State does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 94% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on California State University - Stanislaus
Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 429 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $46,740 to cover tuition and fees at MSMU. The school does not offer an in-state discount. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $30,565 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MSMU does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 86% took at least some of their classes online.
Dominican University of California ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. DUofC is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Rafael, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 394 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $49,426 to cover tuition and fees at DUofC. The school does not offer an in-state discount. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from DUofC accumulate an average of $22,811 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at DUofC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 47% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Azusa Pacific University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Azusa Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Azusa, California. It awarded 1,526 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $42,330 to cover tuition and fees at Azusa Pacific. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,646 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Azusa Pacific does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 32% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
National University 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 #11 on the list. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 1,758 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from National University accumulate an average of $28,754 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at National University. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 70% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
California State University - Channel Islands came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Camarillo, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,895 students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at CSUCI is $6,817. Out-of-state students pay an average of $18,697. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,928 in student loans.
CSUCI does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2020-2021 about 85% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on California State University - Channel Islands
Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. PLNU is located in San Diego, California and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 935 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees at PLNU is $41,100. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,967 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at PLNU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 23% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
California State University - San Marcos ranked #14 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,567 students in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,733 in tuition and fees if they attend CSUSM full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $19,613. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,185 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at CSUSM. In 2020-2021 about 90% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on California State University - San Marcos
With a ranking of #15, San Jose State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. This large public school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 7,362 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,899 in tuition and fees if they attend San Jose State full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $19,779.
Some students may be able to take online classes at San Jose State. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 95% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #16, Vanguard University of Southern California did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Vanguard University of Southern California is a small private not-for-profit school located in Costa Mesa, California that handed out 420 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $38,700 to cover tuition and fees at Vanguard. The school does not offer an in-state discount. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,667 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Vanguard. In 2020-2021 about 81% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #17, San Diego State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 8,969 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $8,174 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SDSU. Out-of-state students pay an average of $20,054. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,840 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at SDSU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
California State University - Chico landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Chico, California, the fairly large public school handed out 4,117 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $7,972 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Chico State. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $19,852. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Chico State accumulate an average of $17,500 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Chico State does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 93% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
California State University - East Bay came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large public school situated in Hayward, California. It awarded 3,876 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from California who attend Cal State East Bay full time pay an average of $6,995 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,875. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $18,431 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Cal State East Bay. In fact, around 90% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Pacific Union College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in Angwin, California, the very small private not-for-profit school handed out 119 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees at PUC is $33,678. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.
One thing to take note of is that PUC does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
San Francisco State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. This large public school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 6,087 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $7,524 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SFSU. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $19,404. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from SFSU accumulate an average of $17,707 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SFSU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 95% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #22, Simpson University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their bachelor’s degree. Simpson U is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Redding, California. It awarded 214 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
If you want to attend Simpson U, expect to pay an average of $37,480 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Simpson U accumulate an average of $17,797 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Simpson U does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 76% took at least some of their classes online.
California State University - Long Beach landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Long Beach, California, the large public school awarded 9,259 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2021-2022.
Students from California who attend CSULB full time pay an average of $6,884 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,764. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,381 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that CSULB does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 93% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Fresno Pacific University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Fresno Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 684 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Fresno Pacific does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $34,188. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,208 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Fresno Pacific. In fact, around 41% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree nursing programs. Located in Fullerton, California, the large public school handed out 9,717 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $7,007 in tuition and fees if they attend Cal State Fullerton full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $18,887. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $16,465 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Cal State Fullerton does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 82% took at least some of their classes online.
Best Nursing Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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