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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Registered Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in California

41 Ranked Colleges
8,306 Degrees Awarded
$9,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 259,493 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, registered nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States.

Across California, there were 16,063 registered nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,306 registered nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 41 colleges that offer a degree in registered nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great registered nursing programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the registered nursing program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Registered Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 171 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $2,117 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Cal State LA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUDH is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 130 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills is $3,115 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUDH Registered Nursing Report

#18 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Stanislaus. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 135 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stan State, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Stanislaus is $3,958 for California Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Stan State

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 186 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,731 for California Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Fresno State

#21 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 295 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $6,100 for California Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Registered Nursing Report

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Bakersfield is $3,880 for California Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Registered Nursing at California State University - Bakersfield

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 236 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #17 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $7,595 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at California State University - Long Beach

California State University - Northridge ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 90 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,883 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUN.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at California State University - Northridge

#14 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 253 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $7,823 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at California State University - Sacramento

#10

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 107 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $5,869 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at CSUSB

#11

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school handed out 224 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k list, SDSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $10,594 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at SDSU

#15 in overall quality

California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. California State University - Monterey Bay is a public institution located in Seaside, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUMB also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $9,567 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUMB.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at California State University - Monterey Bay

#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 345 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Marcos is $10,347 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUSM Registered Nursing Report

California State University - East Bay ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school handed out 190 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State East Bay is $8,891 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full California State University - East Bay Registered Nursing Report

#15

University of Phoenix - California

Costa Mesa, California

University of Phoenix - California landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Phoenix - California is located in Costa Mesa, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 203 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Registered Nursing at University of Phoenix - California

#16

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 170 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also took the #13 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $11,752 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Jose State University Registered Nursing Report

#17

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#25 in overall quality

San Francisco State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 114 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $12,517 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at SFSU

#22 in overall quality

California State University - Channel Islands landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Channel Islands is a medium-sized public school situated in Camarillo, California. It awarded 92 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSUCI has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUCI is $11,497 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at CSUCI

#19

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, California
#16 in overall quality

Sonoma State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

SSU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Sonoma State University is $13,248 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at SSU

California State University - Chico ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,576 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Chico Registered Nursing Report

Vanguard University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Vanguard is a small school located in Costa Mesa, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,123 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vanguard University of Southern California.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Vanguard Registered Nursing Report

#22

Pacific Union College

Angwin, California

Pacific Union College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Angwin, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 39 degrees to qualified bachelors’s registered nursing students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend PUC is $16,984 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at Pacific Union College

#23

American University of Health Sciences

Signal Hill, California
#8 in overall quality

American University of Health Sciences came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Signal Hill, California, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

AUHS Signal Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list.

Read full report on Registered Nursing at American University of Health Sciences

#24

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, California

Fresno Pacific University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fresno Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Fresno Pacific is $14,346 for California Bachelor’s Degree Registered Nursing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Fresno Pacific Registered Nursing Report

#25

Simpson University

Redding, California
#23 in overall quality

Simpson University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Registered Nursing Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Simpson U is located in Redding, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s registered nursing degrees to qualified students.

Simpson U also made our “Best Registered Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $20,364 for california bachelor’s degree registered nursing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Simpson U.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Registered Nursing at Simpson University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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