Our list of the top 10 nursing programs in California includes both public and private education institutions, and features some of the top universities on the West Coast. The list was generated in 2011 using a methodology that heavily relied upon a combination of peer rankings, surveys of the multiple governing bodies in the field of nursing, and program graduate performance on the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. Additional feedback from local health care providers throughout the state was also taken into consideration in the rankings.
The Top 10 Nursing Programs in California
The nursing schools in California that appear on the following list are accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing, as well as numerous other educational bodies including the California State Board of Education. Each of the following nursing programs in California offers both bachelor’s degrees (BSN), and many provide masters level (MSN) degrees in the Science of Nursing as wll.
No. 10 – San Francisco State University (San Francisco)
The first of four Bay Area nursing programs to appear on our list, the San Francisco State University School of Nursing educates an average of 300 BSN students and nearly 200 MSN students per year. SFSU graduates posted a solid 78.86% pass rate in their initial sitting for the NCLEX-RN during 2010-11 school year.
No. 9 – San Diego State University (San Diego)
With the second-largest number of graduates of any of the top 10 nursing programs in California, San Diego State University’s School of Nursing distinguishes itself with both size and excellence. The 2011 school year saw 265 graduates go through the BSN program and pass the NCLEX-RN in their first attempt – an impressive 92.83% success rate.
No. 8 – Samuel Merritt University (Oakland)
Oakland’s Samuel Merritt University graduated 346 students with BSN degrees in 2010-11 – the highest total of any nursing school in California. An additional 81 students at SMU’s School of Nursing earned Masters of Science in Nursing degrees. Both groups of graduates fared exceptionally well in NCLEX-RN testing as well, posting 87.86% and 95.06% pass rates respectively.
No. 7 – Mount St. Mary’s College (Los Angeles)
Sometimes overlooked in Los Angeles’ impressive lineup of top nursing schools is the program at Mount St. Mary’s College. The small, independent college may occasionally get lost in the shadows of its larger neighbors, but when it comes to its BSN program, the school takes a backseat to no one. The Mount St. Mary’s program produced 162 graduates in 2010-11 to outpace UCLA and CSU Los Angeles combined.
No. 6 – Loma Linda University (Loma Linda)
The Loma Linda University School of Nursing (LLUSN) has been a mainstay in Southern California health care education for more than a century. The school is best known for its large, highly-successful ADN program (which saw 93.28% of its 2010-11 graduates pass the NCLEX-RN), but also offers a small, equally-respected BSN program for those interested in advanced nursing degrees.
No. 5 – California State University, Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
The program at CSU Los Angeles has been severely impacted for several years – and with good reason. The university’s School of Nursing offers one of the top nursing programs in California with better than 93% of its BSN graduates and a perfect 100% of its MSN graduates successfully passing the NCLEX-RN on their first try during the 2010-11 school year.
No. 4 – University of San Francisco (San Francisco)
The very first private nursing school founded in California, the USF School of Nursing remains at the vanguard of programs offering advanced nursing degrees. Both its famed BSN program and relatively new, yet highly respected MSN program regularly place graduates into leadership positions throughout the Bay Area nursing community. In 2011, the school graduated 156 BSN students and 55 MSN students.
No. 3 – University of San Diego (San Diego)
The University of San Diego’s Hahn School of Nursing perennially ranks among the world’s leading graduate nursing programs (it was recently ranked in the top 10%) thanks to its focus on cutting-edge technology. Hahn offers only an MSN program, and the 50-or-so students who graduate from it each year receive one of the most revered master’s degrees in nursing from any school on the planet.
No. 2 – University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
Southern California’s most prestigious nursing program can undoubtedly be found at the UCLA School of Nursing. Offering BSN, MSN and PhD-level degrees in nursing, the school leverages its resources as one of America’s leading research universities to the fullest by offering nursing students access to the latest in health care technology. Graduates of both the BSN and MSN programs posted pass rates over 90% on the NCLEX-RN during the most recent school year.
No. 1 – University of California, San Francisco (San Francisco)
Ranking at the top of everyone’s list for nursing programs in California, UCSF is the crown jewel of the state’s health care education system. With a roll call of alumni that represents a veritable “who’s who” in the world of professional nursing, a world-renowned faculty and facilities that can hold their own against any in the world, University of California San Francisco is truly in a class by itself.
A Final Word on Nursing Programs in California
While the programs appearing on this list are certainly the best that the state has to offer, they are by no means the only high-quality nursing schools in California. The state is home to a wide range of excellent institutions for aspiring nurses, from its award-winning community colleges to its fantastic technical institutes. Feel free to peruse the rest of our site to find out more about the wide selection of outstanding nursing programs in California.