Best Practical Nursing institutions in California, ranked by earnings
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
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unitek College South San Francisco Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $66,221 | 123 | 73% | $27,792 | $17,305 |
| 2 | Unitek College Hayward Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $66,221 | 130 | 63% | $28,199 | $17,305 |
| 3 | Butte College Oroville Public · Associate degree | $65,467 | 131 | 45% | — | $13,382 |
| 4 | Medical Allied Career Center Santa Fe Springs Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $65,387 | 35 | 81% | $31,499 | $17,130 |
| 5 | Carrington College - Sacramento Sacramento Private for-profit · Associate degree | $65,035 | 122 | 51% | $38,203 | $32,832 |
| 6 | Hartnell College Salinas Public · Certificate degree | $63,321 | 69 | 40% | — | — |
| 7 | North - West College - Van Nuys Van Nuys Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $62,356 | 45 | 60% | $33,855 | $18,845 |
| 8 | Unitek College Fremont Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $61,838 | 1,524 | 73% | $27,021 | $17,305 |
| 9 | Concorde Career College - San Diego San Diego Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $60,979 | 120 | 76% | $25,970 | $17,179 |
| 10 | Carrington College - San Jose San Jose Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $60,778 | 40 | 60% | $32,608 | $17,375 |
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 Practical Nursing program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Unitek College tops the list at $66,221. Compare it against completions, 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 $48,790 (median $46,420), across about 102,380 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.
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).
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card