Best institutions to study Practical Nursing in California
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 | 134 | 73% | $27,792 | $17,305 |
| 2 | Unitek College Hayward Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $66,221 | 184 | 63% | $28,199 | $17,305 |
| 3 | Butte College Oroville Public · Associate degree | $65,467 | 132 | 45% | — | $13,382 |
| 4 | Medical Allied Career Center Santa Fe Springs Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $65,387 | 29 | 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 | 81 | 40% | — | — |
| 7 | North - West College - Van Nuys Van Nuys Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $62,356 | 63 | 60% | $33,855 | $18,845 |
| 8 | Unitek College Fremont Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $61,838 | 1,637 | 73% | $27,021 | $17,305 |
| 9 | Concorde Career College - San Diego San Diego Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $60,979 | 105 | 76% | $25,970 | $17,179 |
| 10 | Carrington College - San Jose San Jose Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $60,778 | 31 | 60% | $32,608 | $32,832 |
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 $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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