Best BSN Programs in Los Angeles in 2024 (Online & On-Campus)

Looking for a nursing school in Los Angeles? If you’re looking for high-quality quality BSN programs in Los Angeles to earn your Bachelor of Nursing Science, you’re in luck. LA has some of the most prestigious nursing programs and medical education programs in the nation. Better still, if you plan to live and work in Los Angeles, you can expect to be in high demand as a skilled nursing graduate.

Not only are learning opportunities and job opportunities plentiful in LA, but there are also a wide variety of scholarship and financial aid options available to you. Many hospitals offer grants, scholarship programs, and other forms of financial aid– as do many charitable organizations and philanthropic foundations.

To learn more about the many opportunities to learn and to fund your continuing nursing education, get in touch today. Our many scholastic counselors are standing by to help you find the school or financial aid program that’s best for you. If you’re looking for some of the best nursing schools in southern CA, you’ll be sure to find an option here.

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The Best BSN Programs in Los Angeles in 2024

Here is our list of the schools with the 13 best BSN programs in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area.

1. UCLA

Easily the finest, most prestigious, and well-known of all BSN programs in Los Angeles, UCLA offers a comprehensive collection of medical programs including a Bachelor of Nursing Science. The school is home to the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital which is considered to be one of the finest nursing schools in the country. It is also one of the first nursing education hospitals to earn honors from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 77.11%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $13,240
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

2. University of California, Irvine

A close tie for first with UCLA on our list of the highest quality BNS programs in southern California, the University of California, Irvine is considered by many to be the finest such school in the area. Unlike its top ranking rival, UCI boasts an exceedingly low student to teacher ratio of 8 to 1. UCI was founded in 1965 and occupies a sprawling 1,500-acre campus.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 94.29%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign language)
• Tuition: $13,738
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

3. California State University, Long Beach

With a wide variety of courses to choose from in both graduate and undergraduate levels, California State University, Long Beach is easily the most comprehensive nursing school in the area, if not the greater southern California region. CSU has an impressive 100% employment rate for graduating students and a 95% employment rate for undergraduate students.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 99.3%
• Program length or credit hours: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $6,834
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

4. California State University, Fullerton

The California State University, Fullerton’s nursing program is run out of its Health and Human Development Dept. CSUF offers a range of nursing degree programs, all of which are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This school was founded in 1957 and is one of 23 member schools of the California State University System.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 87.76%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $6,924
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

5. California State University, Northridge

CSUN has a long history of commitment and dedication to Nurses in the San Fernando Valley and beyond. CSUN offers two Transfer programs for students who are admitted to the Community College Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs, or who already have a Registered Nursing license. These programs include the ADN-BSN Community College Collaborative and the RN to BSN.  The second Bachelor Degree option includes the Accelerated BSN. This program is a pre-licensure option and is the only option available to students who have already earned a previous Bachelor degree, and completed the necessary requirements to apply.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 89.09%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $6,977
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

6. California State University, Los Angeles

With one of the finest BSN programs in Los Angeles, California State University, Los Angeles offers nursing degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and at the doctoral levels. They also offer an accelerated BNS program that is just 15 months in length. Established in 1947, this is one of Southern California’s oldest nursing school programs and serves over 26,000 students each year.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 95.24%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $6,768
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

7. California State University, Dominguez Hills

Offering BSN degree programs for students who already hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license or are enrolled in a community college accredited nursing program, California State University, Dominguez Hills is a great compromise for students who do not have the right educational background to attend the more prestigious southern California schools but still want a high-quality education.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 69.57%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program
• Tuition: $6,946
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

8. California State University, San Bernardino

Ranked among the best nursing schools in Southern California, the California State University, San Bernardino offers BSN and MSN nursing degree programs. This school was founded in 1965 and operates on two separate campuses within the city limits of San Bernardino. This school serves over 20,000 students each year and operates one of the state’s few museums with the distinction of being recognized by the American Alliance of Museums.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 77.95%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $6,885
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

9. Azusa Pacific University

With one of the widest selections of course types available in any Southern California nursing school, Azusa Pacific University stands out for the sheer amount of options it makes available to students. Because many nursing students are non-traditional students with outside responsibilities- this makes APU a great choice. Their available degree programs include Online, Campus, Hybrid all-levels from undergrad to doctoral level.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 84.06%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Recommendations, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)
• Tuition: $40,220
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

10. Stanbridge University

All of the nursing programs at Stanbridge University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This school offers state of the art learning facilities and is ranked among the best BSN programs in Los Angeles, which is quite an accomplishment considering that they were established as recently as 1996.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: N/A
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school record, Formal demonstration of competencies, Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc)
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

11. Pacific College

As the leading nursing school in the Costa Mesa community, Pacific College offers three distinct nursing programs; Associate of Science in Vocational Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Family Nurse Practitioner. Pacific College has been approved by The Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: N/A
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school record, Completion of college-preparatory program, Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc)
• Tuition: $35,175
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

12. Pasadena City College

After successful completion of Pasadena City College’s Associate in Science degree in Nursing, students also receive an Achievement Certificate in Registered Nursing (ACRN). Graduates are also eligible to sit for the national council Licensing Examination-Registered Nurse. PCC was established in 1924, making it a close contender for the oldest college also ranked among California’s top 20 nursing schools. It is also easily the most affordable nursing school in the state.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 80.43%
• Program length: 2 years
• Admission requirements: Admissions are open
• Tuition: $1,168
• Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

13. Biola University

Established in La Miranda in 1908, Biola University is California’s oldest nursing school on our list. Short for Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Biola is affiliated with the nondenominational evangelical Christian Church and offers a range of high-quality nursing programs.

• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 77.27%
• Program length: 4 years
• Admission requirements: Secondary school GPA, Secondary school record, Admission test scores (SAT/ACT), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign language)
• Tuition: $41,976
• Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission

Methodology

Finding the best nursing program for you is not always a matter of finding the best school on a “best of” list. The right school for you will be near your place of residence, ideally. It will offer special services designed to deliver professionally trained nurses to the community you intend to live in, and it will have tuition assistance, grant, and financial aid programs that are well suited to your personal background. Perhaps most importantly, the right nursing school for you is the one that best reflects your values and respects your background.

To learn more and receive guidance on finding the BSN program that suits your needs best, get in touch today.