Best Colleges for Nursing in California

The best colleges for a Nursing degree in California, led by University of Southern California, University of California-Los Angeles and Chapman University. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Nursing programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Nursing in California?

Based on our rankings, University of Southern California is the top-ranked college for Nursing in California. Other top choices include University of California-Los Angeles, Chapman University, University of San Francisco.

What are the best Nursing schools?

The best Nursing schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are University of Southern California, University of California-Los Angeles, Chapman University. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Nursing?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Nursing programs is approximately $36,954 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Nursing degree?

A bachelor's degree in Nursing typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Nursing rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Nursing graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Nursing programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $75,886 per year. Below are the highest-paying Nursing programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · $92,498/yr (rank #1)
University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA · $89,812/yr (rank #2)
Dominican University of California — San Rafael, CA · $84,713/yr (rank #3)
University of California-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · $82,511/yr (rank #4)
University of the Pacific — Stockton, CA · $78,445/yr (rank #5)

1. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
2. University of California-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 9% acceptance · $49,403 tuition · 93% grad rate
3. Chapman University — Orange, CA · 65.4% acceptance · SAT 1,357 · $64,984 tuition · 82% grad rate
4. University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA · 61.7% acceptance · SAT 1,295 · $60,492 tuition · 70% grad rate
5. University of the Pacific — Stockton, CA · 71.3% acceptance · SAT 1,346 · $57,080 tuition · 69% grad rate
6. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 36.2% acceptance · $21,328 tuition · 76% grad rate
7. California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $20,070 tuition · 70% grad rate
8. California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 94% acceptance · $20,618 tuition · 56% grad rate
9. Dominican University of California — San Rafael, CA · 83.5% acceptance · SAT 1,290 · $52,161 tuition · 78% grad rate
10. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA · 96.4% acceptance · $20,550 tuition · 50% grad rate
11. California State University-Fresno — Fresno, CA · 95.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 57% grad rate
12. California State University-Northridge — Northridge, CA · 93.5% acceptance · $20,058 tuition · 57% grad rate
13. Vanguard University of Southern California — Costa Mesa, CA · 62.4% acceptance · $41,700 tuition · 57% grad rate
14. California State University-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 91.3% acceptance · $19,760 tuition · 53% grad rate
15. Mount Saint Mary's University — Los Angeles, CA · 73.1% acceptance · $49,564 tuition · 53% grad rate
16. California State University-Chico — Chico, CA · 92.7% acceptance · $21,072 tuition · 63% grad rate
17. Fresno Pacific University — Fresno, CA · 64.1% acceptance · $36,660 tuition · 50% grad rate
18. California State University-Long Beach — Long Beach, CA · 46.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 69% grad rate
19. University of Redlands — Redlands, CA · 82.7% acceptance · SAT 1,241 · $60,878 tuition · 67% grad rate
20. Concordia University-Irvine — Irvine, CA · 66% acceptance · $43,480 tuition · 58% grad rate
21. California Baptist University — Riverside, CA · 84.9% acceptance · $41,228 tuition · 62% grad rate
22. Biola University — La Mirada, CA · 74.4% acceptance · SAT 1,261 · $48,984 tuition · 68% grad rate
23. California State University-East Bay — Hayward, CA · 97.4% acceptance · $20,183 tuition · 48% grad rate
24. Sonoma State University — Rohnert Park, CA · 93.4% acceptance · $21,224 tuition · 58% grad rate
25. California State University-Monterey Bay — Seaside, CA · 97.4% acceptance · $20,379 tuition · 59% grad rate

Best Colleges for Nursing in California on PickACampus