California RN to BSN Programs
(found programs from 34 schools)

According to the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), 370,290 RNs held active California licenses in 2011. California has fewer nurses per 100,000 people than the national average; 757 per 100,000 in California compared with 825 nationally. This gap is expected to close by 2030 as the number of full-time RNs in California is projected to exceed 400,000. Nursing school enrollments have more than doubled over the past decade in California, according to the UCSF report.

As in other states, the majority of California RNs work in hospitals, but employment in physician offices and home health care is growing fast. Many positions outside of acute care require a BSN degree. However, a recent BRN report showed that only 27.4 percent of California RNs graduated with BSN degrees in 2009/2010, while 58 percent of new graduates came from associate degree programs. A BSN degree can open new opportunities for RNs, and California RNs have many programs from which to choose.

Schools to Consider

• San Diego State University. The RN to BSN program is generally completed in less than two years (including all upper division requirements). Many courses have an online component. Several courses, such as community health and nursing care of the complex, high acuity or critically ill patient require clinical time.
• California State University - Bakersfield. This largely online program accepts applicants once a year and takes twelve months to complete. Students complete 100 clinical hours at a public health department during winter term. Forty top-ranked students are admitted each year. The program is available to students in surrounding areas (Antelope Valley & Tulare/Kings County).
• California State University - Chico. The program takes about 15 months of part-time study to finish. Most of the classes are online, although limited campus attendance - one or two days per semester - is required. The public health/community course requires 135 contact hours and may be arranged at a site convenient for the student.

Listed below are all of the nationally accredited RN to BSN programs with campus locations in California.