Cal State Long Beach's BSN graduates posted a 98.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, while San Diego City College reported 100% at $1,146 a year in-state tuition. That spread reflects the California calculation: BRN-approved ADN and BSN seats are competitive, so knowing what is a good nclex pass rate separates quality from marketing.
The 2027 ranked programs pair two-year ADN and four-year BSN options with city, format, and net price. Later sections cover ADN waitlist tactics, ADN to BSN dual admission routes, costs and debt, metro-level RN pay, and licensure steps. A strong pass rate matters only if you can get a seat and afford to finish.
Why First-Time NCLEX-RN Pass Rates Carry Most of the Weight
California holds every approved pre-licensure program to the same bar: a first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate of at least 75% each year. A nursing degree has one job, getting you through that exam on the first try, so the exam drives about three quarters of each school's score here.
How the Number Is Built
The score draws on the latest three years of first-time NCLEX pass rates by school from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), weighted by the number of test takers. A small cohort with one standout year can't leap up the list. Accreditation and completion and retention break ties. Graduation rates are institution-wide, not nursing-specific, so treat them as a rough signal.
A Benchmark for Judging Any School
For California-educated candidates, the BRN's July 2024 to June 2025 period shows a statewide first-time pass rate of about 91%. Quarterly figures in that window ran from 87.5% to 91.8%. Separately, the BRN's 2026 Sunset Review reports 92.7% for 15,499 first-time test takers in 2024. A school well above 91% is outperforming the state, and anything near 75% deserves questions.
BRN school rates include everyone who tested for the first time during the year, even graduates from earlier classes. A program's own cohort figure may differ.
The score leaves out net price and location. Use the cost and regional sections below to weigh those.
California Nursing Programs With the Strongest NCLEX-RN Outcomes
These programs are listed by their first-time NCLEX-RN results, with accreditation and completion outcomes separating close calls. The mix is deliberate: small community college ADNs that feed local hospitals sit alongside four-year BSN programs at public and private universities. Where a reliable pass rate was not found for a school, the number is left out rather than estimated.
How we ranked these
- Graduation and completion rates
- First-time NCLEX-RN pass results
- National nursing accreditation
- Program format and availability
- Cost and net price context
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- Program-level NCLEX pass rates from the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
William Jessup University
#1Rocklin, CA · ~$28,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 100%
Best for: Faith-minded students seeking a campus BSN
William Jessup University pairs a CCNE-accredited, campus-based BSN with a faith-integrated curriculum in Rocklin, east of Sacramento. Students move from fundamentals through adult health, psychiatric-mental health, maternal-newborn and pediatric nursing, then into a capstone clinical experience with a faculty mentor assigned along the way. A high-fidelity simulation lab and medical field mission opportunities round out the clinical training.
- CCNE-accredited four-year BSN, campus-based format
- TEAS entrance exam and prerequisite courses required
- Apply by August 1, 2026 for the next cohort
- 64 total credit hours across 15-week semesters
- Simulation lab with high-fidelity mannequins
- Capstone clinical lab plus immersive clinical rotations
- Optional phlebotomy certificate alongside the BSN
- Faculty mentors and medical field mission opportunities
California State University-Long Beach
#2Long Beach, CA · $7,000 – $20,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.9% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: First-time nursing students at a public university
Cal State Long Beach runs one of the state's larger CCNE-accredited BSN programs, admitting students with no prior nursing background into a five-semester, full-time track. Admission is competitive: a 3.3 GPA minimum, prerequisite science courses, the Casper situational-judgment test and, for finalists, a communication exercise. The School of Nursing also runs a concurrent enrollment pathway with Long Beach City College and a fully online RN-to-BSN for California-licensed nurses.
- CCNE-accredited BSN for students with no prior nursing experience
- Five semesters of full-time study with fall and spring starts
- 3.3 GPA minimum; prerequisite GPA must be at least 3.0
- Casper situational-judgment test required before the deadline
- Top applicants complete a communication exercise
- Three applicant categories accepted at admission
- Prerequisites in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology and statistics
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN exam
San Diego City College
#3San Diego, CA · $1,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 100% (3-yr weighted avg)
Best for: Working LVNs advancing to RN licensure
San Diego City College offers an ACEN-accredited, BRN-approved ADN in downtown San Diego with more than one way in, including a traditional two-year track and options built for licensed vocational nurses. Clinical placements run through local hospitals, long-term care facilities and clinics. The traditional RN track now accepts applications once a year for fall, so prospective students should plan well ahead.
- ACEN-accredited, California BRN-approved two-year ADN
- Three concentration options, including an LVN-to-RN transition
- LVN thirty-unit option for working vocational nurses
- Clinical placements at hospitals, long-term care sites and clinics
- Prepares graduates for NCLEX-RN and entry-level staff nurse roles
- Traditional RN track now admits once a year for fall entry
Chabot College
#4Hayward, CA · ~$9,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.7% (2-yr weighted avg)
Chabot College's ADN in Hayward is a small, selective program that admits about 40 students each fall through merit and holistic review. The two-year curriculum pairs nursing theory with clinical rotations, and the college reports a 100% licensure pass rate and a Strong Workforce Gold Star award. Licensed vocational nurses can bridge into the program, and a transfer pathway to Cal State East Bay supports students who want to continue to a BSN.
- Two-year, full-time ADN with one fall start each year
- Application window runs November 1 through January 31
- About 40 students selected each fall by merit and holistic review
- TEAS entrance exam and prerequisite science courses required
- The college reports a 100% licensure pass rate
- Strong Workforce Gold Star recipient
- LVN to RN bridge option available
- Transfer pathway to the BSN at Cal State East Bay
Moorpark College
#5Moorpark, CA · ~$1,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.4% (3-yr weighted avg)
Moorpark College, in Ventura County, delivers an ACEN-accredited ADN that students finish in four consecutive semesters. Coursework blends patient-centered care, critical thinking and clinical reasoning, and the college publishes its program effectiveness data. ADN-to-BSN partnerships let graduates keep building toward a bachelor's degree.
- ACEN-accredited, California BRN-approved ADN
- Completed in four consecutive semesters
- Associate of Science degree awarded at completion
- ADN-to-BSN partnerships for continuing education
- Doctorally prepared faculty teach the program
- Program effectiveness data published publicly
Sierra College
#6Rocklin, CA · $7,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.5% (3-yr weighted avg)
Sierra College in Rocklin runs an ACEN-accredited ADN with a 40-student fall cohort and a total program tuition listed at $2,208. The college reports a 100% licensure pass rate and offers TEAS study groups and admission workshops to applicants. Licensed vocational nurses can enter through an upward mobility track, and a cross-enrollment partnership with Sacramento State lets students work toward a BSN at the same time.
- ACEN-accredited two-year ADN with one fall start
- Cohort of 40 students; apply by February 28, 2026
- TEAS entrance exam plus prerequisite coursework required
- The college reports a 100% licensure pass rate
- Total program tuition listed at $2,208
- Military benefits accepted
- Clinical rotations at multiple partner sites
- TEAS study groups and nursing admission workshops
- Designed for licensed vocational nurses advancing to RN
- Full-time program that prepares students for NCLEX-RN
- TEAS exam and prerequisite courses required
- Emphasis on recent science coursework
- Hands-on clinical experience with affordable tuition
- Hybrid ADN-to-BSN partnership with Sacramento State University
- Lets ADN students work toward a bachelor's degree concurrently
Mendocino College
#7Ukiah, CA · $8,000/yr (est. net price) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.1% (3-yr weighted avg)
Mendocino College's RN program in Ukiah is small and lottery-admitted, with up to 20 students a year. The four-semester curriculum covers medical-surgical, pediatric, obstetric, geriatric and psychiatric nursing, with skills labs and simulation on campus and clinical hours at hospitals and clinics across the Lake-Mendocino area. A mandatory pre-application workshop, the TEAS exam and a 2.5 GPA minimum all come before the lottery.
- Two-year, four-semester ADN leading to an Associate of Science
- Up to 20 students admitted each year by randomized lottery
- Mandatory pre-application workshop and TEAS exam required
- 2.5 GPA minimum plus prerequisite coursework
- Hybrid format combining on-campus classes and skills labs
- Clinicals at hospitals and clinics across the Lake-Mendocino area
- Evening and weekend clinical hours available
- Approximate program cost of $7,000
Saddleback College
#8Mission Viejo, CA · ~$4,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 99.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
Saddleback College's ADN in Mission Viejo is a two-year, cohort-based program with fall and spring starts and roughly 60 students admitted per cycle. Admission uses a multi-criteria point system that weighs academics, TEAS scores and healthcare experience. Lectures meet on campus each Wednesday and clinical rotations run across Orange County, and the college reports NCLEX pass rates above state and national averages.
- ACEN- and BRN-accredited two-year ADN
- Fall and spring starts; apply by July 15, 2026
- 2.8 GPA minimum plus prerequisite courses
- TEAS exam and multi-criteria point system for admission
- About 60 students admitted per cycle
- On-campus lectures every Wednesday; no evening or weekend classes
- Clinical rotations across Orange County
- The college reports NCLEX pass rates above state and national averages
MiraCosta College
#9Oceanside, CA · $1,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 98.2% (3-yr weighted avg)
MiraCosta College in Oceanside runs a four-semester RN program with fall and spring starts and admission by a point-based lottery. The college reports an 85% licensure pass rate and a 75% job placement rate, and clinical placements are arranged across San Diego County. Articulation agreements let graduates continue toward a BSN.
- Four-semester ADN with fall and spring start dates
- 2.5 GPA minimum plus prerequisite courses
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Admission through a point-based lottery
- The college reports an 85% licensure pass rate
- 75% job placement rate reported
- Clinical placements across San Diego County
- Articulation agreements support transfer to a BSN
University of the Pacific
#10Stockton, CA · ~$25,000/yr (est.) · NCLEX-RN pass rate 97.4% (2-yr weighted avg)
University of the Pacific is a private university in Stockton, and its BSN is admitted through the California Board of Registered Nursing. The program sits in a smaller campus setting with a 13-to-1 student-faculty ratio and an institutional graduation rate near 69%. For applicants weighing a private four-year option against the state's large public BSNs, it is a distinctly different environment.
- Listed by the California BRN as an approved BSN program
- Bachelor's level preparation for NCLEX-RN licensure
2-Year ADN Programs in California and How to Get Past the Waitlist
The two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and the four-year BSN lead to the same NCLEX-RN exam and the same California RN license, but they operate on different admission rhythms. At community colleges, the ADN route usually has lower tuition, yet access depends less on price and more on how your district selects applicants. Understanding how to get into nursing school before you apply is often the fastest way around a discouraging queue.
Three admission models, same RN license
California community college ADN programs generally use multi-criteria screening, a qualified lottery, or a hybrid of the two.1 Multi-criteria screening is authorized by Education Code 78261.2 Programs may award points for prerequisite GPA, prior degrees, direct patient-care or volunteer experience, non-English language proficiency, and life circumstances, with the ATI TEAS commonly required. College of the Redwoods uses this multi-criteria process for the 2026 cycle.3 College of the Desert, for example, requires a 2.5 minimum in anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, with science courses taken within the last 10 years.2
How to get past the waitlist
Not every program uses a chronological waitlist. Santa Rosa Junior College has no waitlist; applicants reapply each year and, after meeting a 62% TEAS threshold and an 80% composite score, enter a random lottery for about 120 seats.4 AB 1559, enacted in 2007, repealed the ban on evaluative admissions, which helped shift many programs toward criteria-based ranking instead of pure first-come first-served queues.1 A 2007 study found 28 of 71 ADN programs used lotteries at that time, but that is not a current statewide count.1
Which school is easiest to get into?
That depends more on the admission model than on the campus name. A lottery program may feel more accessible to an applicant with a modest GPA, while a multi-criteria program rewards a strong prerequisite GPA and healthcare work experience. The most practical tactic under multi-criteria scoring is to earn points for CNA or direct patient-care hours before applying. Under a lottery, keep your TEAS and composite scores at or above the threshold and reapply on schedule. If you live near multiple community college districts, apply to several at once because each district sets its own formula and cutoffs. Private ADN or BSN options may offer rolling or multiple start dates and avoid queues, but they generally carry much higher net price than a community college ADN.
Four Ways to Become an RN in California, Side by Side
If your goal is to reach the NCLEX-RN quickly and keep costs down, a community college ADN is the fastest and least expensive start, and a CSU collaborative or concurrent enrollment program lets you add a BSN without starting over. California State University reports 13 CSU campuses in formal concurrent-enrollment nursing partnerships with 33 community colleges. Our research did not confirm a current statewide status for community-college-operated BSN pilot programs, so check directly with any college that advertises one.
| Route | Best fit for | Typical time to finish | When you can take the NCLEX-RN | Credential at finish | Relative overall cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADN (community college) | Students who want the quickest, lowest-cost path to RN licensure | Prerequisites plus about four semesters of nursing coursework | After finishing the ADN (fastest route) | Associate Degree in Nursing | Lowest |
| Traditional BSN | First-time college students who want a bachelor's from the start | About 4 years | After finishing the BSN | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Highest for most students |
| Accelerated BSN | Career changers who already hold a bachelor's degree | Shorter than a traditional BSN; length varies by school | After finishing the BSN | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Varies widely by school |
| ADN-to-BSN collaborative or concurrent enrollment (CCC and CSU) | ADN students who also meet CSU transfer or program requirements | About 2.5 to 4 years total (Los Medanos and Cal State East Bay: 2.5 years; CSUN: about 3 years) | After finishing the ADN, then complete BSN coursework in roughly 6 to 12 months | ADN and BSN | Low, since most coursework is at community college rates |
| ADN, then a separate RN-to-BSN | Nurses who want to work first and return for a BSN later | About 4 to 5 years total | After finishing the ADN | ADN, RN license, then BSN | Low to moderate, spread over more years |
California by City
Explore other California related topics
Lowest Net Price Nursing Schools, With Debt and Early Earnings
The cheapest nursing schools in California by average net price are Victor Valley College (about $1,947 a year), Santa Monica College (about $2,779) and Cal State LA (about $3,967), according to 2024 IPEDS and College Scorecard data from the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is an approximate average after grants and scholarships, not a quote, so your actual cost depends on your household income and aid package. Program-level median debt and early earnings for these nursing programs have not yet been published, so they are left blank here rather than replaced with campus-wide figures. Public community college ADN programs and CSU BSN programs like these typically cost a fraction of what private nursing schools in the ranking charge after aid, so compare each private school's net price carefully before paying more for a similar license outcome.
| School | City | Degree | Average Net Price After Aid (per year) | Published In-State Tuition and Fees | NCLEX-RN Pass Rate | NCLEX-RN Test Takers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Valley College | Victorville | ADN (Associate of Science in Nursing) | $1,947 | $1,425 | 96.1% | 191 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | ADN (Associate Degree Nursing) | $2,779 | $1,156 | 97.8% | 167 |
| California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) | Los Angeles | BSN (Traditional Program) | $3,967 | $7,160 | 96.5% | 304 |
What California RNs Earn Statewide
This is Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for all of California's roughly 338,940 employed RNs. It is not graduate earnings for any one school.
RN Pay by California Metro Area
Bay Area metros lead California RN pay: San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Vallejo-Fairfield, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara each averaged more than $82 an hour in the most recent BLS metro wage figures (May 2023). That is roughly $12 to $16 more per hour than Modesto, Santa Cruz-Watsonville, or San Luis Obispo, but much of that premium goes to some of the highest housing and living costs in the state. Statewide, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data show about 338,940 employed RNs earning a median of $140,270 a year. The California Employment Development Department projects RN employment will grow 10.5% from 2023 to 2033, reaching about 355,200 jobs, with an average of roughly 20,779 openings each year.
| Metro Area | Region | Mean Hourly Wage (May 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward | Bay Area | $83.83 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield | Bay Area (Solano County) | $82.51 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | Bay Area | $82.11 |
| Napa | Bay Area (North Bay) | $79.89 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade | Sacramento Valley | $74.29 |
| Santa Rosa | Bay Area (North Bay) | $73.52 |
| Modesto | Central Valley | $69.80 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | Central Coast | $67.73 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande | Central Coast | $67.58 |
From Graduation Day to RN License: The California BRN Process
Graduating is only the first step. California new grads must clear the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) application, fingerprinting, and NCLEX-RN registration before they can practice. Fees and timelines change, so confirm current figures on the BRN website before you apply.
California BRN Approval and National Accreditation
More California RN Programs to Consider
The schools below round out the California directory with ADN and BSN options beyond the programs ranked higher on this page. They are grouped by region so you can scan campuses near you, from the Bay Area and Central Coast to the Central Valley, Sacramento, and Southern California. Each entry gives the degree level, the instructional format, and a link to the program's own page.
Bay Area
- Nursing, BS
- Associate Degree Nursing
- LVN Transition to RN
- Associate Degree in Nursing
Central Coast
- Nursing, Associate in Science
- Associate Degree in Nursing
- Associate Degree Registered Nursing (RN) Program
Greater Los Angeles
- Associate in Science in Nursing, Professional (R.N.)
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN)
- Nursing Associate in Science Degree
- Traditional BSN
- Upper Division Transfer BSN
- Associate Degree Nursing Program
Central Valley
- Registered Nursing, Prelicensure Associate Degree
- LVN to RN Nursing Program
Sacramento Area
- BS in Nursing (Pre-Licensure)
Inland Empire
- Associate of Science Degree in Nursing