by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 74 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 5,722 associate degrees in nursing during the 2021-2022 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of nursing for getting your associate degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their associate degree.
The 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 the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in California.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in nursing has to take a look at Mount Saint Mary's University. MSMU is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $64,968.
More information about a associate in nursing from Mount Saint Mary’s University
It is difficult to beat Modesto Junior College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in nursing. Located in the midsize city of Modesto, MJC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Nursing associate degree recipients from Modesto Junior College get an earnings boost of about $3,260 above the typical income of nursing graduates.
More information about a associate in nursing from Modesto Junior College
Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in nursing needs to take a look at Merced College. Merced Community College District is a fairly large public college located in the city of Merced.
Associate recipients from the nursing program at Merced College get $10,945 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in nursing from Merced College
Carrington College, Sacramento is a wonderful option for students interested in an associate degree in nursing. Carrington College, Sacramento is a small private for-profit college located in the large suburb of Sacramento.
Associate recipients from the nursing major at Carrington College, Sacramento make $8,344 more than the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in nursing from Carrington College, Sacramento
Located in the city of Santa Rosa, SRJC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Nursing associate degree recipients from Santa Rosa Junior College get an earnings boost of around $4,721 over the typical income of nursing graduates.
More information about a associate in nursing from Santa Rosa Junior College
Riverside City College is a very large public college located in the city of Riverside.
After graduation, nursing associate recipients generally earn an average of $89,869 in their early careers.
More information about a associate in nursing from Riverside City College
Located in the medium-sized city of Costa Mesa, Pacific College is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.More information about a associate in nursing from Pacific College
City College of San Francisco is a fairly large public college located in the city of San Francisco.
Those nursing students who get their associate degree from City College of San Francisco make $3,952 more than the typical nursing student.
More information about a associate in nursing from City College of San Francisco
SWC Chula Vista is a fairly large public college located in the city of Chula Vista.More information about a associate in nursing from Southwestern College
Located in the rural area of Angwin, PUC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Pacific Union College get $14,617 more than the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a associate in nursing from Pacific Union College
Butte College is a large public college located in the rural area of Oroville.
Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Butte College earn $8,189 more than the standard nursing student.
More information about a associate in nursing from Butte College
MSJC is a large public college located in the midsize suburb of San Jacinto.
Soon after graduating, nursing associate recipients usually make an average of $92,087 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a associate in nursing from Mt. San Jacinto College
Located in the midsize suburb of Marysville, Yuba College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Associate recipients from the nursing major at Yuba College make $21,204 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in nursing from Yuba College
Located in the large city of Stockton, Delta is a public college with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career income of $97,843.
More information about a associate in nursing from San Joaquin Delta CollegeThese are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 16 | College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita, CA |
| 17 | San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario | Ontario, CA |
| 18 | Fresno City College | Fresno, CA |
Explore all the Best Nursing Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 147 | 608 |
| Washington | 131 | 1,825 |
| Nevada | 112 | 533 |
| Hawaii | 59 | 135 |
Nursing is one of 34 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 5,722 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health Sciences & Services | 4,210 |
| Allied Health Professions | 3,660 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 1,845 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 1,285 |
| Dental Support Services | 819 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 768 |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 443 |
| Health/Medical Prep Programs | 211 |
| Communication Sciences | 158 |
| Public Health | 126 |
