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Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

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2023 Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

22 Colleges
$41,222 Avg Salary
$20,983 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree School for You

Out of all the majors we analyze each year, practical nursing and nursing assistants was ranked #21 in the country. In fact 84,274 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.

There are so many healthcare programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Healthcare Degree Search has created the Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 22 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for healthcare students. To come up with a school's ranking, we analyzed numerous factors related to post-graduation wages, the quality of education offered by the school, average accumulated student debt, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Colleges.

Top 10 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools

Our analysis found Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts to be the best school for practical nursing and nursing assistants students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Far Western US Region . Located in the city of San Mateo, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

On average, practical nursing graduates from Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts take out $18,804 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts

#2

Unitek College

Fremont, CA

Out of the 22 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Unitek College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Fremont, Unitek College is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

While working on their Associate Degree, practical nursing majors at Unitek College accumulate an average of around $20,602 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $184, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Unitek College Report

#3

Pacific College

Costa Mesa, CA

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Pacific College is a great place for practical nursing and nursing assistants students working on their associate degree. Pacific College is a small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Costa Mesa.

After completing their Associate Degree, practical nursing graduates from Pacific College carry an average student debtload of $20,773.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Pacific College

Out of the 22 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Carrington College, Sacramento landed the # 4 spot on the list. Carrington College, Sacramento is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Sacramento.

On average, practical nursing graduates from Carrington College, Sacramento take out $31,342 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Carrington College, Sacramento Report

#5

Merced College

Merced, CA

Out of the 22 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Merced College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Merced Community College District is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Merced.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Merced College

#7

Cuesta College

San Luis Obispo, CA

Cuesta College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. Cuesta College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cuesta College Report

#8

Sacramento City College

Sacramento, CA

Sacramento City College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Sacramento City is a large public school located in the large city of Sacramento.

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#9

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA

Riverside City College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in the city of Riverside, Riverside City College is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average amount in student loans that practical nursing majors at Riverside City College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $7,686.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Riverside City College Report

#10

Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara City College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree practical nursing and nursing assistants programs. SBCC is a large public school located in the small city of Santa Barbara.

Full Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Santa Barbara City College Report

Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges by State

Explore the best practical nursing and nursing assistants schools for a specific state in the Far Western US region.

State Degrees Awarded
California 1,055
Washington 113
Nevada 0

One of 30 majors within the healthcare area of study, practical nursing and nursing assistants has other similar majors worth exploring.

Practical Nursing Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 44,900
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 34,557
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,817

Related Major Annual Graduates
Nursing 322,592
Health & Medical Administrative Services 89,359
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 84,492
Allied Health Professions 82,308
Public Health 40,596

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 22 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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