2023 Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Nursing Master's Degree School for You
Nursing is the most popular major in California with 18,329 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which healthcare program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Healthcare Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 42 schools in California to see which master's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for healthcare students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
2023 Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in California
Check out the nursing master's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Nursing Master's Degree Schools
Our analysis found Samuel Merritt University to be the best school for nursing students who want to pursue a master’s degree in California. Located in the city of Oakland, Samuel Merritt University is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
Out of the 42 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Touro University California landed the # 3 spot on the list. TUC is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Vallejo.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of California - San Francisco is a great place for nursing students working on their master’s degree. Located in the large city of San Francisco, UCSF is a public college with a small student population.
Full Nursing at University of California - San Francisco Report
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Loma Linda University is a great place for nursing students working on their master’s degree. Loma Linda University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Loma Linda.
University of California - Davis came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. UC Davis is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Davis.
Western University of Health Sciences ranked #7 on this year’s Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large suburb of Pomona, Western University of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Full Nursing at Western University of Health Sciences Report
With a ranking of #8, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their master’s degree. USAHS is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the suburb of San Marcos.
Full Nursing at University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Report
California State University - Stanislaus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Stan State is a large public school located in the small suburb of Turlock.
Read full report on Nursing at California State University - Stanislaus
West Coast University - Orange County did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. West Coast University - Orange County is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Anaheim.
Full Nursing at West Coast University - Orange County Report
Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Oregon | 1,502 |
| Washington | 3,851 |
| Nevada | 2,015 |
| Hawaii | 535 |
| Alaska | 177 |
More Nursing Rankings in California
Rankings in Majors Related to Nursing
One of 30 majors within the healthcare area of study, nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
Nursing Concentrations
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 266,651 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 16,104 |
| Nursing Administration | 9,838 |
| Nursing Practice | 7,992 |
| Other Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,092 |
| Nursing Science | 4,600 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,287 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,021 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,936 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,883 |
| Critical Care Nursing | 773 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 563 |
| School Nursing | 553 |
| Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery | 509 |
| Clinical Nurse Leader | 444 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | 419 |
| Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing | 331 |
| Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing | 181 |
| Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | 57 |
| Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing | 53 |
| Palliative Care Nursing | 14 |
| Forensic Nursing | 14 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
| Public Health | 40,596 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
HealthcareDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© HealthcareDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.