5 Best Nursing Schools in San Diego, California Today

Typically, the best nursing schools in San Diego are also ranked highly across California and nationwide. These schools include San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University, University of San Diego, etc.

Whether you are a new nursing entrant or a nursing professional looking to further your career, you will find a suitable match among the top nursing programs in San Diego.

Below, we list what we consider to be the 5 very best nursing schools in San Diego today. We also highlight the different programs they offer, their NCLEX-RN pass rates, alumni salary data, and students’ ratings.

Our rankings consider factors like the average NCLEX pass rates from the last 4 years, typical federal debt upon graduation, reported alumni salaries, and the school’s overall reputation.

Here’s a List of the 5 Best Nursing Schools in San Diego

1. San Diego State University- School of Nursing

San Diego State University (SDSU) was founded in 1897. It is a public research university in San Diego, California, and the third-oldest university in the California State University system.

The School of Nursing at SDSU began with the BSN program in 1953. It partners with over 100 community organizations in San Diego and Imperial Valley Counties. These partnerships with hospitals, clinics, schools, and healthcare agencies enrich student learning with hands-on clinical experiences.

The mission of SDSU’s School of Nursing is to teach and inspire nursing students to promote equitable healthcare and well-being in communities, not just in California, but beyond.

As for financial aid, SDSU offers grants, both subsidized and unsubsidized loans, work-study programs, and other types of aid, such as summer aid and aid for veterans and foster youth. For scholarships, SDSU provides over 700 opportunities that you can apply for through the “AZTEC scholarships” portal.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, nursing students graduate from the SDSU BSN program with about $17k-$18k of federal student loans. This makes this school the most affordable of all the best nursing schools in San Diego!

List of SDSU Undergraduate Nursing Programs:

• Direct Entry BSN Program- for first-time freshmen

• Transfer BSN Program- if you’ve completed atleast 60 transferable semester units.

• RN to BSN Program

List of SDSU Graduate Nursing Programs:

• MSN Program- Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) & Leadership in Health Care Systems Tracks

SDSU NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for SDSU Nursing Graduates

Overall SDSU Student Ratings

2. University of San Diego- Hahn School of Nursing & Health Science

The University of San Diego (USD) is a private Roman Catholic research university in San Diego, California, chartered in 1949 and known as USD since 1972.

USD’s Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science is ranked among the best nursing schools in San Diego. You’ll get to improve your clinical skills in the Dickinson Nursing Simulation Center, which replicates a real-life hospital environment.

Additionally, USD partners with major medical centers throughout San Diego County for clinical teaching. You’ll gain experience in top patient care centers like Kaiser Permanente, UCSD Medical Center, Rady Children’s Hospital, and others, and also visit various community settings.

Financial aid options at USD include scholarships and loan forgiveness programs.

One such program is the Advanced Practice Healthcare Loan Repayment program which may provide up to $25,000 if you agree to practice full-time patient care at a qualified facility in California for up to 24 months.

This is available to graduates of the Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Practitioner programs.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, students graduating from USD’s Master’s nursing program typically have about $119,008 in federal student loans, while those graduating from the doctoral program have about $105,176 in federal student debt.

List of USD Graduate Nursing Programs:

• Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN)

• MSN Program- Clinical Nurse Specialist, Executive Nurse Leader, Nursing Informatics, Nurse Practitioner specializations

• DNP Program

• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) Program

List of USD Nursing Post-Graduate Certificate Programs:

• Certificate in Emergency Care for Family Nurse Practitioners

USD NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for USD Nursing Graduates

Overall USD Student Ratings

3. Point Loma Nazarene University- School of Nursing

Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a private Christian liberal arts college located on the oceanfront of Point Loma in San Diego, California. Founded in 1902 by the Church of the Nazarene, it provides a dynamic Christian environment for students.

At PLNU’s School of Nursing, you can learn about evidence-based nursing practices through hands-on experience and research. You’ll also gain practical experience through clinical hours and community volunteering.

As for financial aid, PLNU offers options like Federal Work-Study, Military Aid, grants, scholarships, and loans. They offer merit-based awards, like the $10,000-$20,000 per year merit award for incoming freshmen. There are also Performance-Based Awards, Endowed Awards, and Nazarene Scholarships linked to the Church.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, students graduating from PLNU’s Bachelor’s nursing program typically have about $24,784 in federal student loans, while those graduating from the Master’s program have about $50,562 in federal student debt.

List of PLNU Undergraduate Nursing Programs:

• BSN Program

• LVN to BSN Program

• RN to BSN Program

List of PLNU Graduate Nursing Programs:

• MSN Program- with tracks in Adult-Gerontology CNS, Pediatrics CNS, Women’s Health CNS, Nursing Education, Healthcare Leadership, and Family Nurse Practitioner.

• ADN (RN) to MSN Program

List of PLNU Nursing Post-Graduate Certificate Programs:

• Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Program- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

PLNU NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for PLNU Nursing Graduates

Overall PLNU Student Ratings

4. Azusa Pacific University San Diego- School of Nursing

Azusa Pacific University (APU) is a private non-profit, evangelical Christian university founded in 1899. It is based in Azusa, California, with regional campuses, including one in San Diego. The university incorporates a Christian worldview in all its programs.

At APU’s School of Nursing, you can benefit from simulation labs, community health internships, and study-abroad nursing programs.

They offer unique experiences such as health mission trips to countries like Mexico, Uganda, Haiti, South Korea, and Russia, and opportunities to care for the homeless through programs like the Neighborhood Wellness Center.

Financial aid options at APU include a variety of scholarships. They offer preferential pricing agreements with certain community colleges for their ADN graduates. For instance, those enrolling in RN to BSN programs receive a 10% partial tuition scholarship.

Other scholarships include the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, where up to 85% of the loan can be forgiven if the student commits to serve as a full-time faculty at a school of nursing for four years after graduation. This is available to students pursuing an MSN or doctoral nursing degree.

APU also has tuition assistance agreements with healthcare providers like Kaiser Permanente for their employees pursuing nursing programs at APU.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, students graduating from APU’s Bachelor’s nursing program typically have about $25,000 in federal student loans, while those graduating from the Master’s program have about $61,500 in federal student debt.

List of APU San Diego Undergraduate Nursing Programs:

• RN to BSN Program

List of APU San Diego Graduate Nursing Programs:

• Entry-Level Master’s in Nursing (ELM) Program

• MSN Program- Clinical Nurse Specialist, Healthcare Administration & Leadership program, Nursing Education, Nurse Practitioner specializations

• BSN to DNP Program

List of APU San Diego Post-Graduate Certificate Nursing Programs:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate

APU NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for APU Nursing Graduates

Overall APU University Student Ratings

5. National University- Nursing

National University is a private university based in San Diego, California. Founded in 1971, it’s the largest private nonprofit university in San Diego.

In terms of financial aid, National University partners with various organizations across the country to offer tuition reduction scholarships to their employees.

Some of these organizations include the Community Health Group, AMN Healthcare, and Alameda Health System. See the entire list here.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, students who graduate from National University’s BSN program usually have about $33,928 in federal student loans, while those graduating from the MSN program have about $99,114 in federal student debt.

List of National University Undergraduate Nursing Programs:

• BSN Program (California)

• BSN- Second Bachelor Degree (California)

• RN to BSN Program

List of National University Graduate Nursing Programs:

• MSN Program

• Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Program

• Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership (DNP)

List of National University Nursing Post-Graduate Certificate Programs:

• Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner

• Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

National University NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Salary Data for National University Nursing Graduates

Overall National University Student Ratings

Nurse Salary in the San Diego-Carlsbad Metro Area

Why Consider Best Nursing Schools in San Diego?

Given the current nurse shortage in California, including in San Diego County, hospitals are implementing innovative strategies to attract and retain nurses.

For example, Palomar Health started a Nurse Incentive Program in April 2023, offering RNs an additional $100,000 over a three-year period on top of the usual hourly rate of $30-$40. This illustrates the increasing demand and value for nursing professionals.

So, if you’re considering switching to a rewarding career in healthcare or looking to further your nursing career, now is a great time to enroll in any of the best nursing programs in San Diego.

Disclaimer:

• Information on these programs may change without notice. So, we cannot guarantee their authenticity and accuracy. You’d have to check with the school and do further research. Our review list is simply for guidance and cannot be relied upon exclusively without research on your part.
• Before enrollment, check with your state regarding licensing rules or whether your desired program meets your home state’s certification requirements and licensure.
• If you are an administrator/staff for one of the schools listed in this article, and you would like to issue corrections or updates on your program’s information, please contact us here.

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