RN programs in California

27 RN programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

20 schools offer these RN programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care and teach patients and their families about health conditions. To work as one, you graduate from an approved nursing program (a bachelor's or associate degree in nursing, or a hospital diploma) and pass a licensing exam for your state nursing license.¹ In California, every program asks for a diploma or other schooling first, and 9 are taught partly or fully online.

See the 27 programs

How much do RN programs cost in California?

Two-year degrees (22 programs): $1,842 to $4,155most of them, usually 48 to 72 weeks long
Bachelor's degrees (2 programs): $17,904 to $138,350all 2 with a price
Other RN programs (3 programs): $1,012 to $1,150all 2 with a price

What you pay yourself for the whole program, as the schools report it. "Most" is the middle half of the programs with a price.

In the typical program

Finished the program: 87%
Working 6 months later: 90%
Earned a year, estimated: Not enough data
Length: 48 to 72 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer RN programs. How these figures are made

Are there free RN programs in California?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴For a degree, the job center first looks at grants such as a federal Pell Grant; WIOA pays toward what they don't cover.⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 1,367 people at 18 of the 27 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Two-year degrees here mostly cost $1,842 to $4,155.Bachelor's degrees here cost $17,904 to $138,350.Other RN programs here cost $1,012 to $1,150.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

RN programs in Visalia, San Jose, Eureka and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the list below. 12 more programs are in 10 other areas.

How to pay for RN programs in California

WIOA funding can pay for RN programs in California

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³Your state or local area may limit how much WIOA pays and for how long. If a program costs more, a Pell Grant, a scholarship or severance pay can cover the rest.⁴

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁵

Financial aid and grants for RN programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for RN programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Quick facts: RN programs in California

programs with a price cost under $2,000: 9 of 25
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 1st of 37
RN programs here, against the typical state's 13: 27 vs 13

State comparisons use the same figures as the RN programs by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Where the California RN program numbers come from

Which California RN programs are on this list?

These are the RN programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How California RN program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. "Trained with WIOA funding" on a program counts the people whose training there WIOA paid toward through a training account in program year 2024; the file never gives counts under 3, so a program without the line may still take WIOA students. It does not say how much of the price WIOA covered. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some RN programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Sources for the facts about RN programs in California

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

RN programs in California

How much do RN programs cost in California?

Are there free RN programs in California?

RN programs in Visalia, San Jose, Eureka and other California cities

All 27 RN programs in California approved for WIOA funding

Registered Nursing Traditional Program

Registered Nurse (AS Degree)

Registered Nurse

Registered Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Licensed Vocational Nursing to Registered Nursing

Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN)

Associate Degree Nursing Program

Registered Nurse-BC

Associate Degree Nursing

Associate Degree in Nursing

Registered Nursing: LVN to ADN

Registered Nursing

Associate of Science in Nursing - LVN-to-RN Advanced Placement Pathway (ADN-AP)

Registered Nursing, AS

Pre-Licensure BSN Nursing Program

Nursing AS (ADN)

Registered Nursing A.S.

Nursing - Nursing AS Degree

Registered Nursing (Paramedic/LVN to RN)

Associate of Science Degree Registered Nursing

Certificate of Acheivement, Paramedic/LVN to RN

Licensed Vocational Nurse to ADN

LVN-RN Certificate of Achievement

Registered Nursing - AS Degree

LVN to Associate Degree Nursing Program- BC

RN Refresher Course