Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark of all students with the same graduate degree, adjusting for the in-state / out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Registered nursing bachelor graduates in California earn a weighted average salary of $97,434 3 years after graduation. This places California graduate earnings in the top 5% nationally. Additionally, registered nursing graduates earn 72% more than the total graduating bachelor class in the state.
Cost of living is not considered when comparing states.
Our registered nursing rankings cover 35 of the 45 programs available in California, accounting for 86% of total student graduates. We only include schools with sufficient earnings and/or cost data.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$4,058
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$115,301
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The 4th best-value bachelor’s-level nursing program in the country, and the best on the West Coast, can be found at Cal State Dominguez Hills, a public university.
Like the CUNY Network, California State Universities are famous for their affordability and quality education. Cal State Dominguez Hills is in Carson, in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
Cal State Dominguez Hills offers anRN-BSN bridge programfor registered nurses who already possess an ADN. Students can complete the program in 3, 4, or 5 semesters.
To be admitted, students must already have 60 semesters of transferable college credit and a GPA of 2.0.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$5,752
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$111,925
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate72%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Stanislaus State is a public university in California’s Central Valley. It offers many programs for budding nurses, including a pre-licensure track (generic) BSN program, an RN-BSN online bridge program, an accelerated second bachelor of science in nursing, an LVN-BSN program, and much more.
The pre-licensure track is best for students with no prior nursing experience. Interested students will need to take several pre-requisite courses and the TEAS exam.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,159
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$139,795
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
California State University East Bay is a public university in California’s Bay Area, between Oakland and Fremont.
It offers 2 nursing degrees at the bachelor’s level: a pre-licensure program for students with no nursing experience, and a post-licensure track for students who already possess an RN license. The pre-licensure track comprises 2 years of prerequisites and 2.5 years of nursing coursework, whereas the post-licensure track takes 1 year to complete full time or 2 years to complete part time.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$5,385
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$103,598
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Rounding out our top 5, Cal State LA offers a highly respected traditional BSN program through the Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing.
Cal State LA is a public university in eastern Los Angeles.
It is home to a highly competitive impacted generic BSN program: out of 1,800 applicants, on average it only accepts around 70. Admissions decisions are based on GPA, prerequisite courses, TEAS exam scores, volunteer hours, military service, and local admissions status.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,912
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$132,542
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate68%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
San Francisco State University, or SF State, is a public research university in San Francisco, California. It offers a pre-licensure BSN program that is intended for California residents who are not already registered nurses. This is a highly competitive program: there are typically more than 1,000 applicants for just 60 places in the nursing school. The school also offers an ADN-BSN bridge program and an accelerated BSN.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$10,911
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$123,869
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
California State University Sacramento, also called Sacramento State, is another member of the Cal State system, which is famous for its affordability.
It offers several nursing programs: a traditional pre-licensure BSN, which is best suited for students with no professional nursing experience, and an RN to BSN bridge program for licensed nurses who want to advance their careers.
The pre-licensure BSN program accepts about 80 applicants per year.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$7,485
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$105,346
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate81%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
CSU Fullerton is yet another public university in Los Angeles with a high-value BSN program. There are many routes to attaining a BSN at Fullerton, including a traditional BSN, which is part of a 4-year liberal arts degree, an upper division transfer BSN, an accelerated BSN, and an RN-BSN bridge program.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$8,293
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$110,342
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
California State University Northridge is a public university in Los Angeles. It offers multiple bachelor-level nursing programs: an ADN-BSN Community College Collaborative for transfer nursing students, an RN to BSN bridge program for nurses with a license, and an accelerated BSN for second-degree students who already hold a bachelor’s in a different field.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,649
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$122,142
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate72%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Cal State Monterey Bay is a public university in Monterey County, California, it offers 2 pathways to a BSN degree: an ADN to BSN pathway for students who possess an associate degree in nursing or are about to obtain one, and an RN to BSN program for prospective students who are already registered nurses. Both programs blend online and in-person learning.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$8,721
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$106,552
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate83%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$7,191
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$99,938
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate62%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
This public university in California’s Central Valley offers several well-regarded nursing programs. These include an RN to BSN bridge program and a traditional BSN program. The traditional BSN program is a competitive major, so students must demonstrate strong grades in their freshman year of college. The RN-BSN bridge program is offered online.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$6,744
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$97,606
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Fresno State is a public university in California’s Central Valley. It offers a highly regarded Bachelor of Science in Nursing whose core nursing curriculum covers about 5 semesters.
This BSN is available to both “advanced placement applicants,” who have prior nursing experience, including LVNs and RNs, and “base applicants,” who do not. Base applicants must first be enrolled in the Pre-Health Program at Fresno State. This is an impacted, competitive program with no wait list.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$14,370
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$130,227
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate76%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$14,528
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$124,083
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate68%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$8,215
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$99,072
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate73%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,426
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$102,995
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate87%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,637
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$105,969
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate93%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,578
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$108,170
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate74%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,721
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$96,266
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate82%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,887
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$96,313
Median earnings of all students 4 years after graduating.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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