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2023 Most Focused Associate Degree Colleges for Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants in California

42 Ranked Colleges
1,055 Degrees Awarded
$46,541 Avg Salary
Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 84,274 people earned their degree in practical nursing and nursing assistants, making the major the 187th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, practical nursing and nursing assistants graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,863 and had an average of $15,708 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 8,037 practical nursing and nursing assistants graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,752 and $17,707 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 1,055 practical nursing and nursing assistants graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,972 and $17,699 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California” ranking analyzed 42 colleges that offered a degree in practical nursing and nursing assistants. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their practical nursing and nursing assistants program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california associate degree practical nursing students.

Top 25 Most Focused Associate Degree Colleges for Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants in California

1
Pacific College crest
Pacific College
Costa Mesa, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pacific College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. This small school is located in Costa Mesa, California, and it awarded 75 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Pacific College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

2
Unitek College crest
Unitek College
Fremont, California

Out of the 42 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Unitek College landed the #2 spot on the list. Fremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 254 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Unitek College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

3
Carrington College, Sacramento crest
Carrington College, Sacramento
Sacramento, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carrington College, Sacramento. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Carrington College, Sacramento is a private for-profit institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 139 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Carrington College, Sacramento Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

4
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts crest
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
San Mateo, California

Out of the 42 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts landed the #4 spot on the list. San Mateo, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts

5
Platt College - Los Angeles crest
Platt College - Los Angeles
Alhambra, California

Out of the 42 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Platt College - Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. Platt College - Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school situated in Alhambra, California. It awarded 23 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full Platt College - Los Angeles Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

6
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Lassen Community College
Susanville, California

Lassen Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. Susanville, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Lassen Community College

7
CMC crest
Copper Mountain Community College
Joshua Tree, California

Copper Mountain Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. Copper Mountain Community College is a small public school situated in Joshua Tree, California. It awarded 11 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Full CMC Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

8
9

San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia is a small private for-profit school situated in Visalia, California. It awarded 28 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Full San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

10
Mission College crest
Mission College
Santa Clara, California

Mission College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Santa Clara, California, and it awarded 25 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Mission College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

11
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College of the Redwoods
Eureka, California

College of the Redwoods landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. Located in Eureka, California, this small public school awarded 17 degrees to qualified associates’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.

Full College of the Redwoods Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

12
Hartnell College crest
Hartnell College
Salinas, California

Hartnell College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. Hartnell College is a public institution located in Salinas, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Hartnell College

13
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College of the Desert
Palm Desert, California

With a ranking of #13, College of the Desert did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Desert

14
SWC Chula Vista crest
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California

Southwestern College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. Chula Vista, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

Full SWC Chula Vista Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

15
Cerro Coso Community College crest
Cerro Coso Community College
Ridgecrest, California

Cerro Coso Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Cerro Coso Community College is a public institution located in Ridgecrest, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cerro Coso Community College

16
Sacramento City crest
Sacramento City College
Sacramento, California

Sacramento City College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Located in Sacramento, California, this fairly large public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified associates’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Sacramento City College

17
Long Beach City College crest
Long Beach City College
Long Beach, California

Long Beach City College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Long Beach City College is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Long Beach City College

18
Citrus College crest
Citrus College
Glendora, California

Citrus College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Citrus College is a medium-sized school located in Glendora, California that handed out 32 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

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

19
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College of the Siskiyous
Weed, California

With a ranking of #19, College of the Siskiyous did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Weed, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Siskiyous

20
Allan Hancock College crest
Allan Hancock College
Santa Maria, California

Allan Hancock College ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Allan Hancock College is a medium-sized public school situated in Santa Maria, California. It awarded 27 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Allan Hancock College

21
Riverside City College crest
Riverside City College
Riverside, California

Riverside City College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 30 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Riverside City College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

22
IVC crest
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, California

Imperial Valley College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking. Imperial, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Imperial Valley College

23

Feather River Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. Feather River Community College District is a small school located in Quincy, California that handed out 1 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Feather River Community College District

24
Chaffey College crest
Chaffey College
Rancho Cucamonga, California

Chaffey College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Chaffey College is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Chaffey College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report

25
Merced Community College District crest
Merced College
Merced, California

Merced College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Practical Nursing Major in California list. Merced College is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 8 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

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

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