Best California RN Training Programs
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
For those interested in a career with strong job demand and excellent potential salaries, earning a nursing degree is a great path. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that registered nursing (RN) jobs will increase by 7% between 2019 and 2029, which is faster than average. This demand is being driven by our aging population, and by the increasing demand for advanced health care services.
Nowhere is this more true than the state of California. The population of our largest state continues to grow, and the demand for health care services always is increasing. That is why there is such a shortage for registered nurses in California.
Because of the large demand, there now are many excellent RN programs to consider in the state.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Explore the Best California Registered Nursing RN Training Programs and Schools
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA- 4 year
- Campus + Online
The Bachelor Science in Nursing program at University of San Francisco is a four year program that will ready you for a career in nursing, and also will prepare you for continued study and professional advancement in nursing and healthcare.
This BSN curriculum is rooted in the school’s Jesuit mission as well as a liberal arts education. Students learn how to think more critically and to communicate more effectively. They also learn how to transfer such skills to nursing practice and to the community as a whole. This program has a hands on approach to learning, and students are able to build clinical skills and to learn techniques with real world tools.
- Campus: Online; San Francisco, CA
- Type: Non Profit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate
- Nursing Education
- Tuition: Inquire
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24-48 months
- Online Available: Yes
- Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing; Ph.D. in Nursing
- In-State$52,920
- Out-of-state$52,920
- In-State$27,180
- Out-of-state$27,180
- Retention Rate81%
- Acceptance Rate71%
- Students Enrolled9,688
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment66%
- AccreditationYes
California State University-Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
The Bachelor Science in Nursing at this accredited university provides nursing professionals with the knowledge and skills to become a professional nurse in a hospital or another medical setting. This program focuses on the development of leadership skills, so graduates of this program will eventually be qualified to assume leadership roles in the field.
The undergraduate program at California State University Los Angeles is approved both by the California Board of Registered Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The degree leads to full time employment in the field, but passage of the NCLEX exam is required.
- Campus: Los Angeles
- Type: Non Profit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: $6343 per year in state; $15,271 out of state
- Minimum Time Commitment: 48 months
- Online Available: No
- Degree Requirements: 195 units required; four and five year options available.
- Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing leading to nurse practitioner designation (in primary care or mental health)
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$14,304
- Retention Rate74%
- Acceptance Rate87%
- Students Enrolled26,029
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment91%
- AccreditationYes
California State University-Long Beach
- Long Beach, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
The Bachelor Science in Nursing program at California State University Long Beach offers several options to earn your bachelor’s degree in nursing. You can enter the university without having finished any nursing program at all, or you may enter as a registered nurse student, which means that you have earned a previous nursing credential, such as a nursing diploma or an associate’s degree in nursing.
Whichever category of student, you can graduate with your BSN in three or four years of study.
The curriculum is set up to help you to develop a better understanding of yourself and others, and to increase your intellectual curiosity.
- Campus: Long Beach, CA
- Type: Non Profit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: $2700 per semester
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24-48 months
- Online Available: No
- Degree Requirements: 120 units required; only 70 units maximum can be transferred from any CA community college to a California state university
- Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate87%
- Acceptance Rate47%
- Students Enrolled40,190
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment87%
- AccreditationYes
University of California-Los Angeles
- Los Angeles, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
The Bachelor Science in Nursing at UCLA focuses on teaching students about how to work in individual and population based cohorts within a medical center or an acute care hospital. The curriculum has been developed based upon prevention and a system-based approach. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work well with the high demands of a high acuity patient population, as well as environments with a high degree of technological sophistication.
Students who complete this program will be eligible to take the NCLEX exam to become licensed as an RN. This program is an excellent foundation for nurses who want to move on to a master’s degree program in clinical nursing.
- Campus: Los Angeles, CA
- Type: Non Profit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: $3740 per semester
- Minimum Time Commitment: 48 months
- Online Available: No
- Degree Requirements: 180 credits; 2.0 GPA to graduate; 82 of last 90 credits must be on campus
- Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing Clinical Nursing or Advanced Practice; Ph.D. in Nursing
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$41,196
- In-State$11,442
- Out-of-state$26,544
- Retention Rate97%
- Acceptance Rate11%
- Students Enrolled46,116
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment68%
- AccreditationYes
California State University-Fullerton
- Fullerton, CA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
The Bachelor Science in Nursing program at California State University Fullerton offers several options – the student can earn a BSN with no previous experience in nursing, or he or she can earn a BSN if they previously had nursing education, such as an LVN program or a nursing diploma. Also, the student can choose an accelerated BSN program that allows the student to earn a BSN if they have a bachelor’s degree in another field.
- Campus: Fullerton, CA
- Type: Non Profit
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Tuition: $6196
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24-48 months
- Online Available: No
- Degree Requirements: 125 hours required
- Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Nursing; Doctor of Nursing Practice
- In-State$5,742
- Out-of-state$17,622
- In-State$7,176
- Out-of-state$16,680
- Retention Rate86%
- Acceptance Rate67%
- Students Enrolled40,386
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment80%
- AccreditationYes
Related Pages
The Best Online RN-to-BSN Programs of 2025
Are you an RN interested in completing your undergraduate nursing education? These top RN-to-BSN programs can be completed in just 12-24 months.
The Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs for 2025
A master of science in nursing can expand your career paths and boost your earning potential. Discover the top MSN online programs to advance your nursing career.
Nurse Practitioner MSN vs. DNP vs. BSN
While you can enter nursing with an associate degree, you can advance your career with an MSN or DNP degree. Learn about the benefits of advancing your education, including salary potential and job opportunities.