2023 Best Nursing 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.
The Best Nursing Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Nursing Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 105 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for nursing students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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Top Nursing Schools in California
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of Southern California to be the best school for nursing students in California.
Degree recipients from USC accumulate an average of $15,661 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $489, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, USC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $65,044 during the early year of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend California State University - Monterey Bay. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list.
Degree recipients from CSUMB accumulate an average of $16,303 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $190 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, CSUMB graduates make an average of $43,457 annually.
Out of the 105 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the # 3 spot on the list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,449 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $281 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UC Davis, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $46,065 during the early years of their career.
The excellent programs at Sonoma State University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in California.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,130 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $267 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from SSU, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $46,865 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means California State University - Dominguez Hills is a great place for nursing students.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,973 in student loans.After graduating from CSUDH, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $44,452 during the early years of their career.
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #6 on the list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,714 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $138.After graduating from Stan State, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $39,835 during the early years of their career.
University of California - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,277 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $278 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from UCLA, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $53,838 during the early years of their career.
Dominican University of California did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #8 on the list.
Degree recipients from DUofC accumulate an average of $27,447 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $734 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from DUofC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $53,232 during the early years of their career.
University of San Francisco did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #9 on the list.
On average, students take out $21,881 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $653 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from USFCA, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $60,640 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #10, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,924 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $172, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Sac State graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $45,098 during the early year of their career.
Mount Saint Mary’s University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,665 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $235, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, MSMU graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $46,449 during the early year of their career.
California State University - Channel Islands did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #12 on the list.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,841 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $243, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from CSUCI, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $42,739 during the early years of their career.
Merced College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list.
Degree recipients from Merced Community College District accumulate an average of $9,785 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.After graduating from Merced Community College District, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $54,460 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #14, Azusa Pacific University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,855 in student loans. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $276 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Azusa Pacific graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $46,840 during the early year of their career.
With a ranking of #15, Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,219 in student loans. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $685.After graduating from PLNU, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $47,716 during the early years of their career.
National University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students. It came in at #16 on the list.
On average, students take out $31,362 in loans while pursuing their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $198 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, National University graduates make an average of $58,580 annually.
Vanguard University of Southern California landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs.
On average, students take out $24,961 in loans while pursuing their degree. Once they receive their degree, Vanguard graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $49,027 during the early year of their career.
Modesto Junior College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs.
Degree recipients from MJC accumulate an average of $11,193 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Once they receive their degree, MJC graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $42,887 during the early year of their career.
San Jose State University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best nursing programs.
During the early years of their career, San Jose State graduates make an average of $52,886 annually.
With a ranking of #20, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
By the time they get their degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,457 in student loans. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $189, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, CSUSM graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $43,115 during the early year of their career.
Read full report on California State University - San Marcos
With a ranking of #21, California State University - Chico did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
On average, students take out $19,135 in loans while pursuing their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $365, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. During the early years of their career, Chico State graduates make an average of $41,305 annually.
San Diego State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list.
Degree recipients from SDSU accumulate an average of $18,150 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Those who take out this much in loans have to make a monthly payment of about $251 if they are on a 10-year repayment plan.After graduating from SDSU, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $45,826 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #23, Pacific Union College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working.
Degree recipients from PUC accumulate an average of $28,513 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. For those students on a 10-year repayment plan, the average payment due each month is around $222.After graduating from PUC, students go on to jobs where they make an average of $55,021 during the early years of their career.
California State University - East Bay ranked #24 on this year’s Best Nursing Schools in California list.
Degree recipients from Cal State East Bay accumulate an average of $20,301 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. If you borrow this amount, expect your monthly student loan payment to be around $176, assuming you are on a 10-year repayment plan. Once they receive their degree, Cal State East Bay graduates enter the workforce, making an average salary of $52,422 during the early year of their career.
San Joaquin Delta College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Schools in California ranking.
Degree recipients from Delta accumulate an average of $13,629 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. During the early years of their career, Delta graduates make an average of $31,671 annually.
Best Nursing 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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