The number of nurse practitioners in California has exploded in recent years. In 2004, there were just 8240 NPs in United States' most populous state. By 2008, over 17,000 NPs were in practice in California. Most currently work in ambulatory care, and experts predict an increased demand for NPs to staff the growing number of retail health clinics.
Because California has a diverse population with diverse healthcare needs, nurse practitioners in California have multiple opportunities for specialization. Many NPs work in orthopedics, GI or dermatology; others focus on community health or geriatrics. Some work in large urban areas, while others prefer to practice in rural parts of the state.
Average annual salaries for NPs in California vary widely, depending on area of specialization and geographic area. In general, though, most California nurse practitioners earn between $90,000 and $98,000 per year. NPs in California are required to have a practice agreement with a physician to practice legally. The California Association for Nurse Practitioners is the professional organization for California NPs.
Top NP programs in California include:
- UC Davis School of Medicine. According to UC Davis, the "mission of the Family Nurse Practitioner...Program is to educate healthcare professionals to deliver care as a member of a healthcare team and to improve the availability of culturally relevant primary healthcare in underserved populations throughout California." Students who enroll in the Family Nurse Practitioner program can also take additional coursework to be eligible for certification as a physician assistant (PA).
- Samuel Merritt University. Located in Oakland, Samuel Merritt is a health sciences college that began offering a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) program, which will soon become the preferred educational base for nurse practitioners, in the spring of 2011. The school also has a master's level family nurse practitioner track.
- California State University at Fresno. The School of Nursing at California State -Fresno offers a Primary Care/Nurse Practitioner program that prepares nurses as specialists in primary care, with a goal of improving the availability, accessibility, and quality of primary care services in the Central San Joaquin Valley. Graduates may apply for national certification as pediatric, geriatric, or family nurse practitioners.
Accredited schools with NP programs in California:
Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist and Adult Nurse Practitioner, Parent-Child Clinical Nurse Specialist and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Brandman University (Irvine, CA)
Program Types: Doctor of Nursing Practice
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
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California State University-Dominguez Hills (Carson, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (online)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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California State University-Fresno (Fresno, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Primary Care/Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care/Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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California State University-Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Women’s Health Care - Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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California State University-Long Beach (Long Beach, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Adult-Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Nurse Practitioner, Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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California State University-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner - Primary & Acute Adult, Nurse Practitioner - Primary & Acute Pediatric, Nurse Practitioner - Psychiatric & Mental Health
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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California State University-Sacramento (Sacramento, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Holy Names University (Oakland, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Loma Linda University (Loma Linda, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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Samuel Merritt College (Oakland, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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San Diego State University (San Diego, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Advanced Practice Nursing of Adults and Elderly (Acute Critical Care Nursing NP/CNS CNS or Nurse Educator), Community Health Nursing (Women’s Health Care NP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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United States University (National City, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner)
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University of California Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care (CNS and/or NP), Family Nurse Practitioner, Gerontology (CNS and/or NP), Oncology (CNS and/or NP), Pediatric (CNS and/or NP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of California San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Acute Care NP, Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult NP, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Gerontological Nursing (CNS or NP), Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Oncology Nursing (CNS or NP), Pediatric NP (PNP), Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Advanced Practice (CNS or NP)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of California-Davis Health System (Sacramento, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant (FNP/PA) Program
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of California-Irvine (Irvine, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Master of Science in Nursing - FNP or Adult/Geriatric NP
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University of Phoenix (Multiple Locations)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing
Matching Program Tracks: Nurse Practitioner (online)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of San Diego (San Diego, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice
Matching Program Tracks: Adult Nurse Practitioner, BSN to DNP - Psychiatric/Mental Health NP/CNS, Family Nurse Practitioner, Masters in Nursing - Psychiatric/Mental Health NP/CNS, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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University of San Francisco (Cupertino, CA / San Francisco, CA / San Ramon, CA / Santa Rosa, CA)
Program Types: Doctor of Nursing Practice
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner
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Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, CA)
Program Types: Masters in Nursing, Direct Entry MSN
Matching Program Tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner (online)
Accreditation: CCNE accredited
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