Best colleges for Practical Nursing in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Unitek College, Butte College and Medical Allied Career Center are the top Practical Nursing programs in California by graduate earnings. Unitek College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $66,221, College Scorecard. Unitek College, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts and Riverside City College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in California: 1,637, 1,139 and 456 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 104 California colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 11,203 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unitek College Hayward Private for-profit · Certificate | $66,221 | 184 | 63% | $28,199 | $17,305 |
| 2 | Butte College Oroville Public · Associate degree | $65,467 | 132 | 45% | — | $13,382 |
| 3 | Medical Allied Career Center Santa Fe Springs Private for-profit · Certificate | $65,387 | 29 | 81% | $31,499 | $17,130 |
| 4 | Carrington College - Sacramento Sacramento Private for-profit · Associate degree | $65,035 | 122 | 51% | $38,203 | $32,832 |
| 5 | Hartnell College Salinas Public · Certificate | $63,321 | 81 | 40% | — | — |
| 6 | North-West College - Van Nuys Van Nuys Private for-profit · Certificate | $62,356 | 63 | 60% | $33,855 | $18,845 |
| 7 | Unitek College Fremont Private for-profit · Certificate | $61,838 | 1,637 | 73% | $27,021 | $17,305 |
| 8 | Concorde Career College - San Diego San Diego Private for-profit · Certificate | $60,979 | 105 | 76% | $25,970 | $17,179 |
| 9 | Carrington College - San Jose San Jose Private for-profit · Certificate | $60,778 | 31 | 60% | $32,608 | $32,832 |
| 10 | American Career College - Anaheim Anaheim Private for-profit · Certificate | $60,281 | 315 | 70% | $28,590 | $17,317 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unitek College Fremont Private for-profit | 1,637 | $61,838 |
| 2 | Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts San Jose Private for-profit | 1,139 | $54,359 |
| 3 | Riverside City College Riverside Public | 456 | Not reported |
| 4 | Stanbridge University Irvine Private for-profit | 359 | $57,359 |
| 5 | Institute of Technology Clovis Private for-profit | 343 | $55,599 |
| 6 | American Career College - Ontario Ontario Private for-profit | 321 | $52,792 |
| 7 | American Career College - Anaheim Anaheim Private for-profit | 315 | $60,281* |
| 8 | American Career College - Los Angeles Los Angeles Private for-profit | 295 | $60,281* |
| 9 | California Career Institute Anaheim Private for-profit | 229 | $51,989 |
| 10 | Career Care Institute Lancaster Private for-profit | 225 | $42,296 |
ShowHide the other 94 California colleges offering Practical Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Unitek College (1,637 graduates a year), Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts (1,139 graduates a year) and Riverside City College (456 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 104 California colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in California?+
By graduate earnings, Unitek College leads among Practical Nursing programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $66,221, College Scorecard. Butte College and Medical Allied Career Center follow. By degrees awarded, Unitek College is the largest, with 1,637 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Unitek College tops the list at $66,221. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in California is $50,190 (median $47,630), across about 110,060 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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