2026 Best Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in California

Clinical Nurse Leader degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools to find the best for clinical nurse leader students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Clinical Nurse Leader Schools in California

Best Schools for Clinical Nurse Leader in California

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the clinical nurse leader degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Clinical Nurse Leader

1

Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science
Los Angeles, CA

53 Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees Awarded

$132,827 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science, our #1 school for clinical nurse leader. Set in the suburb of Los Angeles, Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 30% of students finish within six years. About 53 clinical nurse leader degrees were awarded at Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science in the most recent year. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science earn a median of $132,827 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,250. More information about a degree in clinical nurse leader from Charles R Drew University Of Medicine And Science

2

University Of San Diego
San Diego, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

37 Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees Awarded

$124,795 Median Starting Salary

Students looking for a strong clinical nurse leader program will find one at University Of San Diego, which ranked #2. Located in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit university. University Of San Diego graduates 84% of students within six years. There were roughly 37 clinical nurse leader students who graduated with this degree at University Of San Diego in the most recent data year. Clinical Nurse Leader graduates of University Of San Diego earn a median of $124,795 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $23,795 to complete this degree. See the full clinical nurse leader program report for University Of San Diego

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 schools evaluated.

• 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 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.