2023 Best Value Colleges for Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants (Income $75-$110k) in California
18
Ranked Colleges
8,037
Degrees Awarded
$19,300
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
This year’s “Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 18 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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 cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the practical nursing and nursing assistants program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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. 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.
Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Top 18 Best Value Colleges for Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants (Income $75-$110k) in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sacramento City College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Sacramento, California, this fairly large public school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified ’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sacramento City, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Sacramento City College is $9,799 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full Sacramento City College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Imperial Valley College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Imperial, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s practical nursing degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k list, IVC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,249 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Imperial Valley College.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at IVC
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mission College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Santa Clara, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 64 diplomas to qualified ’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k list, Mission College has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mission College is $7,397 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Mission College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend College of the Redwoods. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Eureka, California, this small public school awarded 42 degrees to qualified ’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.
College of the Redwoods not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,871 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend College of the Redwoods.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Redwoods
Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Cuesta College landed the #5 spot on the list. Cuesta College is a medium-sized public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 58 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Cuesta College also took the #9 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cuesta College is $16,691 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cuesta College
Butte College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Butte College is a medium-sized public school situated in Oroville, California. It awarded 78 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Butte College also made our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Butte College is $11,245 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full Butte College Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report
With a ranking of #7, Santa Rosa Junior College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Santa Rosa Junior College is a fairly large school located in Santa Rosa, California that handed out 107 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
SRJC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Santa Rosa Junior College is $10,357 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at SRJC
Merced College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. Merced Community College District is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 12 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Merced Community College District also took the #4 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Merced College is $14,481 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Merced Community College District
Rio Hondo College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Rio Hondo College is a fairly large public school situated in Whittier, California. It awarded 18 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k list, RHCCD has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,868 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Rio Hondo College.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at RHCCD
College of the Desert landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Palm Desert, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s practical nursing degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.
College of the Desert not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for College of the Desert is $15,977 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Desert
Carrington College, Sacramento came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Sacramento, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s practical nursing degrees to 213 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k list, Carrington College, Sacramento has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carrington College, Sacramento is $35,629 for California Practical Nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Carrington College, Sacramento
With a ranking of #11, Santa Barbara City College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. SBCC is a fairly large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 3 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
SBCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Santa Barbara City College is $12,799 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full SBCC Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report
College of the Siskiyous ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Weed, California, and it awarded 2 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
College of the Siskiyous did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,535 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend College of the Siskiyous.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Siskiyous
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia is a small school located in Visalia, California that handed out 28 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list.
Full San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Report
With a ranking of #15, Pacific College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Costa Mesa, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 80 diplomas to qualified ’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.
Pacific College also took the #2 spot in our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pacific College is $34,053 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Pacific College
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in San Mateo, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 876 degrees to qualified ’s practical nursing students in 2020-2021.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. It costs about $30,933 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
Unitek College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Fremont, California, and it awarded 1,162 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Unitek College also made our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Unitek College is $57,252 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
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
Platt College - Los Angeles ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Practical Nursing Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Alhambra, California, and it awarded 30 ’s practical nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
Platt College - Los Angeles not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Platt College - Los Angeles is $31,158 for california practical nursing students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Platt College - Los Angeles
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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
- *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.
