2023 Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California
It's not easy to decide which nursing program to enroll in when you have so many options available. 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 and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate 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 24 schools in California to see which ones were the most popular graduate certificate programs for nursing students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named California State University - Long Beach the most popular school in California for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. This large public school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 202 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Graduate Certificate recipients from CSULB accumulate an average of $22,018 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 77% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since CSULB does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In fact, around 55% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend National University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. National University is located in San Diego, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 79 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Of those students who received their degree, 87% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at National University. During the 2020-2021 year, about 88% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 24 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science landed the # 3 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 84 students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $111,174 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 74% were women.
CDU does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 30% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Out of the 24 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Western University of Health Sciences landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in Pomona, California, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 31 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 77% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Western University of Health Sciences does offer online graduate classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 0% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
The excellent graduate certificate programs at Brandman University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular nursing schools in California. Located in Irvine, California, the medium-sized public school awarded 145 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
Around 79% of those degree recipients were women.
Brandman is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
University of California - San Francisco came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. UCSF is a small public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 104 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $130,138 in student loans. Around 81% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at UCSF. During the 2020-2021 year, about 52% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
West Coast University - Orange County ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. Located in Anaheim, California, the small private for-profit school awarded 38 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $36,190 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 84% were women.
West Coast University - Orange County is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #8 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. Cal State LA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 169 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 75% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Cal State LA. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 70% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Read full report on California State University - Los Angeles
Samuel Merritt University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. Samuel Merritt University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Oakland, California that handed out 7 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 71% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Samuel Merritt University. In fact, around 23% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
San Francisco State University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. Located in San Francisco, California, the large public school handed out 638 graduate certificate awards in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $13,427 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 56% were women.
SFSU does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 83% took at least some of their classes online.
University of Phoenix - California ranked #10 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list.
On average, graduate certificate students take out $35,809 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at UOPX - California. In fact, around 11% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California ranking.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at CSUDH. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #13, Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate. PLNU is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 100% were women.
One thing to take note of is that PLNU does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 72% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Holy Names University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. Holy Names University is a very small private not-for-profit school located in Oakland, California that handed out 28 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Around 93% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at HNU. During the 2020-2021 year, about 19% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
University of San Francisco ranked #15 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. USFCA is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 6 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.
USFCA does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 61% of graduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Mount Saint Mary’s University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs. Mount Saint Mary’s University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 30 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 90% were women.
Online graduate courses are available at MSMU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Vanguard University of Southern California did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #17 on the list. Vanguard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Costa Mesa, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 73% were women.
Vanguard does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 54% took at least some of their classes online.
United States University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. USU is a small private for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 2 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Of those students who received their degree, 100% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, USU is an excellent choice, since graduate classes are offered online.
University of San Diego ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 113 students in 2021-2022.
By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,345 in student loans. Around 83% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at USD. During the 2020-2021 year, about 30% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Azusa Pacific University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. Azusa Pacific is located in Azusa, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 50 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Around 94% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Azusa Pacific. In fact, around 36% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
California State University - San Marcos ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California list. CSUSM is located in San Marcos, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 30 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Around 93% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at CSUSM. In 2020-2021 about 46% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Read full report on California State University - San Marcos
University of California - Davis did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #17 on the list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out graduate certificates to 6 students in 2021-2022.
Around 50% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that UC Davis does offer online graduate classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 20% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. This medium-sized private for-profit school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 5 graduate certificates in 2021-2022.
Around 100% of those degree recipients were women.
USAHS is one of the schools on our list that is primarily online. Each graduate student at the school took at least one class online.
Sonoma State University landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular graduate certificate nursing programs.
One thing to take note of is that SSU does offer online graduate classes in some areas. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 63% took at least some of their classes online.
Most Popular Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in the Far Western US Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 24 schools only.
References
- 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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