Best Nursing Schools in Los Angeles in 2024 (Online & On-Campus)

The demand for nurses is one of the fastest growing in the United States and Los Angeles, California is leading the pack in the demand for nurses. For this reason, there are plenty of nursing schools in CA for you to choose from.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statics research shows that between the years 2012 and 2022 there will be an increase of approximately 4. 1 million jobs in the healthcare field. Los Angeles is expected to need an additional 200,000 nurses over the next few years.

There are a variety of BSN programs in LA. A nurse who holds a BSN In the United States will be in the highest demand during this growth period. Within a hospital setting an estimated 262,000 will become available. Nursing homes follow closely behind at 200,000 and medical offices just over 100,000 jobs will need to be filled.

Employment Salary

Nursing salaries vary, while nurses generally make a very nice salary there are several factors that contribute to how nice of a salary the following things are taken into consideration by an employer:

Type of degree (LPN/LVN (Licensed Practical Nurse), AND/ANS – 2-year associates degree, BSN- 4-year bachelor’s degree, MSN – 5-year master’s degree. Specialty experience nurses such as nurses who work in the following areas – (critical nurse, neonatal nurse, cardiac nurse, surgical nurse, etc.)  and nurses who have spent a great deal of time in a specialty area of any kind not just the ones listed above usually warrant a higher salary than a nurse just entering a specialty area.

When reading through this list of the best nursing schools in Los Angeles, CA keep in mind that Los Angeles is an extremely large area that encompasses several towns and cities, so if the school is, say, in “Thousand Oaks” that is still part of the city of Los Angeles. These schools are some of the best nursing programs in southern CA.

List of the Best Nursing Schools in Los Angeles in 2024

1. Mount St. Mary’s University

Mount St. Mary’s University is a private Catholic Women’s university founded in 1925 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The campus has a student body population of 2,767.

• Tuition: $28,000
• Acceptance Rate: 77%
• Graduation Rate: 68%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: ADN, LVN to RN degree, BSN, Accelerated BSN degree

2. Biola University

Biola University is a Christian school founded in 1908. It is a small private biblical focused university in Los Angeles. The university offers a BSN in nursing. The program is 8 semesters/4years long.

• Tuition: $41,976
• Acceptance Rate: 75%
• Graduation Rate: 79%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: BSN

3. Marian College – Los Angeles Campus

Marian College Is a small vocational college and is part of the Los Angeles college of healthcare. The program takes 14 to 18 months to complete.

• Tuition: $19,000
• Acceptance Rate: 56%
• Graduation Rate: 54%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: LVN

4. Angeles College

Angeles College  The school was founded in 2004 and opened a satellite campus in 2013. The LVN program is a total of 1,800 hours.

• Tuition: $345/credit
• Acceptance Rate: 93%
• Graduation Rate: 87%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: LVN, RN, RN to BSN

5. Advance Career Institute

Advance Career Institute Classes are Monday thru Friday both days and evenings. The school was founded in 1990 and is associated with several hospitals and nursing homes where students do their clinical education. Classes take roughly 9 months to complete.

• Tuition: $1,500
• Acceptance Rate: 90%
• Graduation Rate: 83%
• Accreditation: N/A
• Nursing Programs: LVN

6. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science CDU is a private university that was founded in 1966. The nursing programs range between two to five years depending on the specific program.

• Tuition: $460/credit hour
• Acceptance Rate: 34%
• Graduation Rate:  88%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: RN, BSN, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner

7.  UCLA School of Nursing

UCLA School of Nursing was founded in 1911 and is one of the top research universities in the world. The nursing program has just under 600 students. The instructors are pheromonal and include Pulitzer prize winners.

• Tuition: $13,000
• Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Graduation Rate: 91%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: BSN, MSN, DNP

8. Los Angeles Southwest College

Los Angeles Southwest College is a public two-year college located in West Athens. The college was founded in September 1965 and the student body population is just over 8,000. The nursing program is 4 semesters long/2 year program.

• Tuition: $ 1,198
• Acceptance Rate: 89%
• Graduation Rate:  84%
• Accreditation: N/A
• Nursing Programs: Registered Nurse

9. Annenberg School of Nursing

Annenberg School of Nursing is a small private Jewish school located in Reseda. There are less than 25 students per year, so the students get more one on one with the instructors, making it a better learning environment. The program is a total of 1680 hours, so two-year program.

• Tuition: $43,292 includes everything from the classes, clothing, equipment (watch, stethoscope, pen light), books, room and board, meals, transportation, and misc. In addition, there are numerous financial aid options available.
• Acceptance Rate: 61%
• Graduation Rate: 96%
• Accreditation: N/A
• Nursing Programs: LVN

10. Los Angeles Harbor College

Los Angeles Harbor College is one of two campuses in the Los Angeles Bay area. The college is a two-year college, so students can transfer to universities upon graduation. The nursing programs are 4 semesters for a total of the equivalent of two years.

• Tuition: $1,198/semester
• Acceptance Rate: 78%
• Graduation Rate: 67%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: Registered Nurse, LVN to RN

11. California State University, Los Angeles

California State University, Los Angeles is a public four-year university, often called “Cal State” that sits on 175 acres. This university is one of 23 campuses in Los Angeles. Nursing students attend the Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing. The schools NCLEX pass rate is 96.55%. The BSN nursing program takes four years to complete. The RN to BSN takes about two years and the masters takes one year. The more advanced programs such as the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)depends on the individual program. The nursing programs have about 200 students combined.

• Tuition: $3,100
• Acceptance Rate: 68%
• Graduation Rate:  41%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

12. Santa Monica College

Santa Monica College is a two-year community college in the seaside town of Santa Monica one of Southern California’s’ more tranquil areas. The college has one main campus that sits on 38 acres and five satellite areas, they offer over 1,400 courses plus a host of online courses. The nursing programs are one of Los Angeles best. The programs are four semesters. Santa Monica College also has a simulation lab that allows students to learn the skills they will need to be successful in their clinical rotation and to pass the clinical portion of the program.

• Tuition: $ 1,136/semester
• Acceptance Rate: 84%
• Graduation Rate: 79%
• Accreditation: CCNE, ACEN, CABRN
• Nursing Programs: Registered Nurse, LVN to RN

13. California State University Fullerton

California State University Fullerton is also known as the College of Health and Human Development, School of Nursing. This university offers several nursing programs and a state of the art Nursing Simulation Center, that allows the students to practice their skills before doing the clinical portion of their training. There are two adult medical/surgical rooms, a maternity room, pediatric and neonatal room, all the rooms have working equipment. There is also a skills lab that allows students to practice CPR, blood draws, IV therapy etc. and a doctor’s office exam room.

• Tuition: $6,850/year
• Acceptance Rate: 42%
• Graduation Rate: 58%
• Accreditation: CCNE, CCRN, ACME
• Nursing Programs: Entry level BSN, LVN to BSN, RN to BSN, Accelerated BSN, RN & BSN Pathway, MSN and several MSN programs, DNP, and DNP Nurse Anesthesia

14. Los Angeles Valley College

Los Angeles Valley College is located on the East end of the city of Van Nuys in the Valley. The college is a part of the community college district. The programs take two years to complete. The college is equipped with a simulation lab that allows students to perform skills and procedures on “dummies” – they have an area for adults, pediatrics, neonatal and learn to draw blood and start IVs before they even enter their clinical portion of the schooling.

• Tuition: $1,220/semester
• Acceptance Rate: 99%
• Graduation Rate: 67%
• Accreditation: CCNE, ACEN, CABRN
• Nursing Programs: Registered Nurse, Fast track BSN

15. PMCI: School of Nursing

PMCI: School of Nursing is also known as the Professional Medical Careers Institute. The school is located in Westlake Village, a small suburb of Los Angeles. The program is 16 months long.

• Tuition: $4,463.00/program (Includes all fees, books, uniforms, lab coat etc.) Financial aid and scholarships available.
• Acceptance Rate: 57%
• Graduation Rate: 90%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: LVN (Licensed vocational nurse), LVN to RN, IV Therapy Nurse,

16. Glendale Career College

Glendale Career College is a private college that was founded in 1946 by Dr. Byron Prout. A simulation room allows students to practice on “dummies” before entering the clinical portion of their schooling. The student nurses learn how to take blood pressures, do CPR, turn, bathe and dress the patient while in the bed. These are great skills to have before working with live patients. Program lengths are roughly 18 months long, the college does offer evening and weekend classes that expend the program length.

• Tuition: $29,400
• Acceptance Rate: 100%
• Graduation Rate: 79%
• Accreditation: CCNE
• Nursing Programs: AND, BSN

17. CES College

CES College was founded in 1995. It is a private school in Burbank, CA, a nice mid-sized town. Many of the students receive financial aid or free tuition to help them get back into the workforce as part of a community enhancement program. The program takes 725 hours to complete.

• Tuition: $27,140/program
• Acceptance Rate: 98%
• Graduation Rate:  86%
• Accreditation: N/A
• Nursing Programs: LVN

Our Ranking Methodology

To determine the ranking of each college/university, we researched and assessed certain factors. These factors included – NCLEX-RN pass rate, tuition, acceptance and graduation rate. Ultimately, the NCLEX-RN pass rate was the highest determining factor, while the other factors played a part in the ranking of each institution the higher the NCLEX-RN rate determined the rank of each college/university. If you are interested in learning more about our ranking system, please feel free to visit our methodology page.

If your college/university did not make our list of best nursing schools in Los Angeles or you would like edits made to your school if it was reviewed please feel free to contact us.