College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California

16 Ranked Colleges
1,055 Degrees Awarded
$46,541 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate” 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 “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree in practical nursing and nursing assistants. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great practical nursing and nursing assistants programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the practical nursing and nursing assistants program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Practical Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The practical nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate

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

Top 16 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California

1
Merced Community College District crest
Merced College
Merced, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Merced College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. Merced Community College District is a public institution located in Merced, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Merced Community College District also made our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4.Our most recent data shows that 143 of the 10,645 students enrolled at Merced College were GI Bill® students, of which 71 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $342. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Merced College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Merced College Veteran Student Life Report

2
RHCCD crest
Rio Hondo College
Whittier, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rio Hondo College. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate. Located in Whittier, California, this fairly large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified associates’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.

RHCCD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 15,692 students enrolled at RHCCD were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $740. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at RHCCD]](/colleges/rio-hondo-college/student-life/veterans/)

3
Napa Valley College crest
Napa Valley College
Napa, California

Out of the 16 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Napa Valley College landed the #3 spot on the list. Napa Valley College is a small public school situated in Napa, California. It awarded 1 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying practical nursing list, Napa Valley College has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 93 of the 4,931 students enrolled at Napa Valley College were GI Bill® students, of which 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $877. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Napa Valley College]](/colleges/napa-valley-college/student-life/veterans/)

4
Cuesta College crest
Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cuesta College. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate. Cuesta College is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying practical nursing list, Cuesta College has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 10,093 students enrolled at Cuesta College, 131 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 91 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $552. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Read More…

5
Reedley College crest
Reedley College
Reedley, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Reedley College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. Reedley College is a medium-sized public school situated in Reedley, California. It awarded 6 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

Reedley College also took the #11 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 6,796 students enrolled at Reedley College, 111 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 58 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,918. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Reedley College]](/colleges/reedley-college/student-life/veterans/)

6
SRJC crest
Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa, California

Santa Rosa Junior College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking. Santa Rosa Junior College is located in Santa Rosa, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

SRJC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 16,757 students enrolled at SRJC, 289 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 223 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $578. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full SRJC Veteran Student Life Report

7
Sacramento City crest
Sacramento City College
Sacramento, California

Sacramento City College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. Sacramento City is located in Sacramento, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

Sacramento City also took the #5 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Sacramento City College supports 20,027 students, and 421 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 270 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $365. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Sacramento City College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Sacramento City]](/colleges/sacramento-city-college/student-life/veterans/)

8
Riverside City College crest
Riverside City College
Riverside, California

Riverside City College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking. Riverside City College is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Riverside City College, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 20,080 students enrolled at Riverside City College, 327 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 195 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $295. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Riverside City College Veteran Student Life Report

9
Butte College crest
Butte College
Oroville, California

With a ranking of #9, Butte College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. Butte College is located in Oroville, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

Butte College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 9,335 students enrolled at Butte College, 250 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 154 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $487. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Butte College Veteran Student Life Report

10
College of the Redwoods crest
College of the Redwoods
Eureka, California

With a ranking of #10, College of the Redwoods did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. Located in Eureka, California, this small public school handed out 17 degrees to qualified associates’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at College of the Redwoods, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, College of the Redwoods supports 3,891 students, and 91 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 43 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $657. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Read More…

11
IVC crest
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, California

Imperial Valley College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate 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.

In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying practical nursing list, IVC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 7,123 students enrolled at Imperial Valley College, 67 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $376. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Imperial Valley College]](/colleges/imperial-valley-college/student-life/veterans/)

12
SBCC crest
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara, California

Santa Barbara City College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking, coming in at #12. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s practical nursing degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying practical nursing list, SBCC has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 12,525 students enrolled at SBCC, 154 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 102 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $645. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Full Santa Barbara City College Veteran Student Life Report

13
Mission College crest
Mission College
Santa Clara, California

Mission College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking, coming in at #13. Mission College is a medium-sized public school situated in Santa Clara, California. It awarded 25 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mission College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 6,504 students enrolled at Mission College, 112 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 87 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $573. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Read More…

14
College of the Desert crest
College of the Desert
Palm Desert, California

College of the Desert came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking. College of the Desert is a fairly large school located in Palm Desert, California that handed out 16 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

College of the Desert also took the #10 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 10,932 students enrolled at College of the Desert, 203 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $436. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Full College of the Desert Veteran Student Life Report

15
College of the Siskiyous crest
College of the Siskiyous
Weed, California

With a ranking of #15, College of the Siskiyous did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate list. College of the Siskiyous is a small public school situated in Weed, California. It awarded 2 associates’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.

College of the Siskiyous also made our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20.According to our most recent data, College of the Siskiyous supports 1,276 students, and 47 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 29 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $930. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at College of the Siskiyous]](/colleges/college-of-the-siskiyous/student-life/veterans/)

16
Platt College - Los Angeles crest
Platt College - Los Angeles
Alhambra, California

Platt College - Los Angeles came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Practical Nursing for an Associate ranking. Platt College - Los Angeles is located in Alhambra, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 associates’s practical nursing degrees to qualified students.

Platt College - Los Angeles did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Among the 717 students enrolled at Platt College - Los Angeles, 25 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 21 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,978. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Veteran Student Life Report

Switch to a Similar Major

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options