Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing programs in California
150 schools in California teach this, at certificate or associate level. 67 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $105,392 at Yuba College.
What this work pays in California
Registered Nurses in California earn a median of $140,270 a year across 338,940 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in California |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $141,480 | 75,090 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $168,520 | 25,120 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $81,960 | 5,610 |
| Nurse Anesthetists | $292,410 | 2,230 |
| Nurse Midwives | $203,840 | 870 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuba College Marysville | Associate's degree | — | $105,392 (51 grads) | 57 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Associate's degree | — | $95,739 (12 grads) | 53 |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento | Associate's degree | $14,000 | $94,784 (11 grads) | 62 |
| Unitek College Fremont | Associate's degree | $18,594 | $94,112 (137 grads) | — |
| American River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | $12,750 | $92,632 (27 grads) | 56 |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Associate's degree | — | $92,632 (38 grads) | 81 |
| Butte College Oroville | Associate's degree | $12,000 | $90,960 (97 grads) | 119 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Associate's degree | $14,744 | $90,678 (92 grads) | 106 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento Sacramento | Associate's degree | $26,825 | $90,412 (68 grads) | 72 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Associate's degree | $14,000 | $90,412 (17 grads) | 41 |
| Merced College Merced | Associate's degree | — | $89,672 (45 grads) | 53 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Associate's degree | — | $86,263 (80 grads) | 102 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | $84,653 (11 grads) | 60 |
| Mission College Santa Clara | Associate's degree | — | $84,653 (16 grads) | 27 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles | Associate's degree | $18,069 | $82,440 (31 grads) | 110 |
| Lemoore College Lemoore | Associate's degree | — | $81,886 (52 grads) | 38 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Associate's degree | — | $81,333 (18 grads) | 33 |
| Coalinga College Coalinga | Associate's degree | — | $80,858 (28 grads) | — |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Associate's degree | — | $79,884 (50 grads) | 41 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Associate's degree | $6,750 | $79,284 (57 grads) | 91 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Associate's degree | $3,500 | $79,180 (121 grads) | 220 |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara | Associate's degree | $18,360 | $79,081 (12 grads) | 77 |
| Moorpark College Moorpark | Associate's degree | — | $78,971 (39 grads) | 67 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Associate's degree | — | $76,460 (56 grads) | 67 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Associate's degree | $10,000 | $75,204 (89 grads) | 153 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario Ontario | Associate's degree | $20,000 | $74,747 (109 grads) | 34 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage Rancho Mirage | Associate's degree | $20,000 | $74,747 (109 grads) | — |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Visalia | Associate's degree | $20,000 | $74,747 (109 grads) | 57 |
| Citrus College Glendora | Associate's degree | — | $74,576 (13 grads) | 29 |
| College of San Mateo San Mateo | Associate's degree | $14,715 | $74,576 (27 grads) | 45 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Associate's degree | — | $74,576 (31 grads) | 66 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Associate's degree | $10,500 | $74,576 (27 grads) | 81 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Associate's degree | $17,523 | $74,576 (45 grads) | 71 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Associate's degree | $9,246 | $74,200 (22 grads) | 127 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Associate's degree | $8,978 | $73,769 (32 grads) | 71 |
| Cypress College Cypress | Associate's degree | — | $73,769 (36 grads) | 59 |
| Cabrillo College Aptos | Undergraduate certificate | $15,000 | $73,635 (31 grads) | — |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert | Associate's degree | — | $73,446 (20 grads) | 64 |
| Shasta College Redding | Associate's degree | $14,000 | $72,357 (59 grads) | 51 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Associate's degree | $13,000 | $72,022 (45 grads) | 88 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Associate's degree | $11,218 | $71,957 (25 grads) | 68 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington | Associate's degree | — | $71,957 (17 grads) | 52 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | $71,854 (23 grads) | 1 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Associate's degree | — | $71,575 (63 grads) | 56 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Associate's degree | — | $71,351 (37 grads) | 50 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Associate's degree | — | $70,456 (25 grads) | 74 |
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica | Associate's degree | — | $70,456 (14 grads) | 35 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Associate's degree | $11,500 | $70,253 (85 grads) | 112 |
| Ohlone College Fremont | Associate's degree | — | $70,176 (15 grads) | 51 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Associate's degree | — | $69,338 (17 grads) | 24 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Associate's degree | $12,666 | $69,338 (22 grads) | 71 |
| Napa Valley College Napa | Associate's degree | — | $69,338 (19 grads) | 30 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Associate's degree | — | $69,338 (24 grads) | 73 |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed | Associate's degree | $10,500 | $68,858 (38 grads) | 0 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Associate's degree | — | $68,079 (58 grads) | 72 |
| Career Networks Institute Santa Ana | Associate's degree | $27,986 | $65,387 (87 grads) | 198 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Associate's degree | — | $65,238 (21 grads) | 28 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Associate's degree | — | $63,005 (72 grads) | 78 |
| Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | $60,722 (14 grads) | 36 |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen | Associate's degree | — | $57,318 (29 grads) | 63 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Associate's degree | — | $57,318 (20 grads) | 32 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Associate's degree | — | $54,109 (26 grads) | 86 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Associate's degree | — | $47,260 (24 grads) | 43 |
| Grossmont College El Cajon | Associate's degree | — | $45,529 (27 grads) | 87 |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Associate's degree | — | $38,289 (58 grads) | 29 |
| Merritt College Oakland | Associate's degree | — | $35,060 (12 grads) | 41 |
| National Polytechnic College Lakewood | Undergraduate certificate | — | $28,598 (20 grads) | — |
| American Career College-Los Angeles Los Angeles | Associate's degree | $27,565 | not published | 63 |
| California Career College Canoga Park | Associate's degree | $24,670 | not published | 39 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Associate's degree | — | not published | 18 |
| Glendale Career College Glendale | Undergraduate certificate | $30,500 | not published | — |
| Glendale Career College Glendale | Associate's degree | $29,211 | not published | 59 |
| Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield Bakersfield | Associate's degree | $29,211 | not published | 0 |
| Glendale Career College-North-West College-MFSON West Covina | Associate's degree | $29,211 | not published | — |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Associate's degree | — | not published | 67 |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts San Jose | Associate's degree | $21,000 | not published | 117 |
| Los Angeles City College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 56 |
| Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health Los Angeles | Associate's degree | $10,500 | not published | 106 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Associate's degree | — | not published | 43 |
| Mendocino College Ukiah | Associate's degree | — | not published | 24 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto | Associate's degree | — | not published | 21 |
| North-West College-San Diego San Diego | Associate's degree | $29,211 | not published | 55 |
| Pacific Union College Angwin | Associate's degree | $25,104 | not published | 80 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Stanbridge University Irvine | Associate's degree | $35,329 | not published | 80 |
| The Chicago School at Los Angeles Los Angeles | Associate's degree | $23,918 | not published | — |
| American Career College-Ontario Ontario | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Butte College Oroville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Cabrillo College Aptos | Associate's degree | — | not published | 45 |
| California Baptist University Riverside | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Career Care Institute Lancaster | Associate's degree | — | not published | 27 |
| Career Networks Institute Santa Ana | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 23 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga | Associate's degree | — | not published | 58 |
| Clovis Community College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Clovis Community College Fresno | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Compton College Compton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 57 |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 38 |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree | Associate's degree | — | not published | 21 |
| Crafton Hills College Yucaipa | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 51 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 67 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Associate's degree | — | not published | 40 |
| Irvine Valley College Irvine | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Associate's degree | — | not published | 65 |
| Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Mission College Santa Clara | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey | Associate's degree | — | not published | 27 |
| Moreno Valley College Moreno Valley | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Pacific College Costa Mesa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Pacific College Costa Mesa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 71 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 72 |
| Porterville College Porterville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 19 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 74 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 122 |
| San Jose City College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Associate's degree | — | not published | 37 |
| Smith Chason College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista | Associate's degree | — | not published | 56 |
| Sri Sai Krish Institute ORANGE | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Stanbridge University Irvine | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| The Chicago School at Los Angeles Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| United States University Sandy Springs | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Unitek College Fremont | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 88 |
| Woodland Community College Woodland | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Xavier College School of Nursing Stockton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 29 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.