BSN Programs in California

One of the largest states in the U.S., California also boasts many options for nursing schools. There are over 30 available Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, or BSN programs in California.

The California State University system offers a wide variety of nursing programs throughout the state, from the coast to inland California.

According to the California Board of Nursing (source), the number of full-time RNs in California is projected to exceed 400,000 by 2030. Currently it is estimated by the CA Board of Nursing that there are around 370,000 Registered Nurses in California, although CA does have a relatively low number of nurses per capita compared to average.

View the full list and our summaries of each BSN program in California below. You can directly request information from featured programs on this page – they are currently accepting applicants from California residents. You can also use our Nursing Degree Finder to get matched to a BSN program. The Nursing Degree Finder is located in the right sidebar (bottom of the page if you are on a mobile device).

All BSN Programs in California

American University of Health Sciences
1600 E. Hill St, Signal Hill, CA 90755
The CCNE accredited baccalaureate nursing program takes a Christian and holistic approach in preparing nurses. Admission is based on high school coursework or GED scores, a number of proctored online entrance exams, an essay, 2 recommendation letters and two interviews. Both high school and transfer applicants must have a GPA of 2.50 on high school courses and all transferable lower division courses respectively.
Students can choose from four admission cycles: winter and summer for pre-nursing students (to take prerequisite courses) or the fall and spring semesters for BSN major entrants.


Azusa Pacific University
901 E. Alosta Ave, Azusa, CA 91702
The spiritual growth focus of the university gives the nursing bachelor degree an edge and sets it apart from the rest. Freshman candidates must taken high school math, biology and chemistry and an additional human anatomy and organic chemistry courses after admission.  Before declaring a major, students must maintain a university GPA of 3.0 APU compounds the BSN generic program curriculum with holistic approach of Christian life, faith and ministry including an entire course covering 2 New Testament books!  The rather large curriculum of 140 credits is designed to be completed within 4 years and takes-in new students every fall and spring semesters.


Biola University
13800 Biola Ave, La Mirada, CA 90639
Bachelor nursing education at Biola enables you start your journey towards professional nursing in addition to maturing your spiritual approach towards delivering care. Initially, students need to be admitted in a 2-year pre-clinical phase and make a secondary application into the nursing major. Completion of the pre-clinical phase however, does not guarantee admission into the next 3 years of the clinical phase. Admission into the clinical phase is reserved for students who manage a GPA of 2.0 on all prerequisite courses. Priority placement is given to students who complete prerequisites with a cumulative 3.0 GPA. The entire program is five years.


California Baptist University
8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504
Completing the BSN program at this private Christian university enables the student to become eligible for the NCLEX-RN exam. Candidates must have completed at least 12 prerequisites courses in the university with a minimum 2.7 GPA to be eligible to apply.  Prerequisites taken in articulated in community college can be transferred to CBU. However, candidates with at least one semester at CBU are given priority over other applicants. This full time CCNE accredited program takes 6 semesters for the nursing major excluding the time taken to complete the pre-nursing courses. Candidates can choose from the fall and spring admission cycles if they have a TEAS V test score of 70%


California State University-Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311
The bachelor degree program in nursing admits slightly over 80 students in their single fall admission. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for freshmen applicants. Upon admission, students complete a first year of pre-nursing and general education courses.  After completing this portion with a minimum GPA of 2.80, students can do a supplemental application for the nursing program. The nursing major phase is a 9-quarter (equivalent to 3-years) portion where students indulge in intensive clinical practice in health agencies and the nursing simulation center.


California State University-Channel Island
1 University Dr, Camarillo, CA 93012
The generic pre-licensure nursing BSN offers students two options to choose from. The first option is a 3-year program for entry-level students who have completed prerequisites courses. Under this option, students complete pre-nursing courses the spring before fall semester. This track is offered at Channel Islands main campus and starts in fall. A second option is for candidates who have completed all pre-nursing courses prior to admission into the nursing major. This option is designed to take 2.5 years starting on a spring semester and is offered at the Goleta Satellite Campus. Both tracks have mandatory summer sessions.


California State University-Chico
400 West 1st St, Chico, CA 95929
Only a limited number of students are admitted in the selective basic bachelor of nursing degree program at Chico. Students are first admitted in the pre-nursing program and must secure good grades to ensure a position in the major.  For eligibility into the pre-nursing program, students must have completed at least 2 prerequisite courses and 2 foundation courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The remaining prerequisites can be completed after admission. Candidates must also have achieved a minimum level of 80% on Teas V test. If all pre-nursing courses are completed with a 3.0 GPA or better, students can make a supplemental application to the nursing major for either fall or spring semesters.


California State University-East Bay
25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward, CA 94542
Students interested in the Bachelor of Science with a nursing major are first admitted into the university and designated as a pre-nursing student. During this first two years, freshmen complete prerequisites either at Hayward, Concord campus or any other community college. Upon completion, a separate application is made for the major designed for 9 quarters. A cumulative 3.0 GPA must be obtained in 9 general education and 5 science courses to obtain application eligibility for the major.  Among the prerequisites required include Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Basic Chemistry, Communication, Critical thinking, Stats, and Eng. For qualified applicants, admission priority is given to military veterans, CA residents and Non-CA residents in that order.


California State University-Fresno
2345 E. San Ramon, Fresno, CA 93740
A package of 8 prerequisites courses totaling to 28 credit hours is required to be admitted into the BSN clinical nursing component. The above must be completed with a minimum of grade “C” and a GPA of 3.0. The nursing program is on impacted status and is very competitive and selective and there is no waiting list. Admission is solely based on the prerequisites GPA and preference is given to qualified military veterans. The nursing major course sequence is designed for six semesters and the entire program has a curriculum load of 125 credit hours.


California State University-Fullerton
800 North State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA 92834
Only candidates who have completed at least 6 of the 8 prerequisites courses are eligible to make a supplemental application to the BSN.  The other two courses may be taken the semester before the admission semester. The 8 courses are Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Chemistry, Speech, Eng, Critical Thinking and Math.  For the supplemental application, students are ranked using a point system of 65 possible points in the following manner: Prerequisites GPA-20, Cumulative GPA-20, HESI-15 and Volunteer work-10. The BSN major can be completed in 6 semesters while the pre-nursing phase can be completed in 1-2 years translating to 4-5 years for the entire program.


California State University-Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840
The basic Bachelor of Science in nursing program is designed to be completed in six semesters. Freshmen are admitted to complete 45 hours of support courses, social & natural sciences and general education.   A preferred GPA of 3.0 and a minimum of 70% TEAS V is required for the BSN but competitive scores are usually observed. The 90 credit hour major nursing program starts at the sophomore year and continues for the junior and senior years. Junior and senior students with exceptional performance can join the Iota Eta Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau International honor society for nursing.


California State University-Los Angeles
5151 State University Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032
The nursing school at CSU Los angles has a BS degree for generic/basic/pre-licensure students. The program has only one admission cycle per year that starts classes on fall.  It is designed for high school graduates with a minimum GPA of 3.0, ACT composite of 20 or above or SAT score of 900 or more. Freshmen complete prerequisites courses which count towards a 31-supplemental criteria point entrance into the basic nursing program. 6 prerequisites courses: Eng, Bio A& B, Chemistry, Psychology and critical thinking must be completed with a GPA of 2.7 or better. Other points for the supplemental criteria points are sourced from prior health-related work, TEAS test, and cumulative GPA on all other college work. Since the program is an impacted one, only those that meet the supplemental application requirements make it for the nursing major. Interested students can apply for the nursing scholarships available. There is also a chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor society for well performing students.


California State University-Sacramento
6000 J St, Sacramento, CA 95819
The traditional baccalaureate nursing program is a 4-year curriculum consisting of lower division general education/ prerequisite work and an upper division component of clinical nursing. The 1st 2 years are dedicated to prerequisite courses prior to making an application to the competitive and selective upper division nursing phase. The selection criterion is based on a point system of a possible 112 points. 50 points are derived for the GPA of prerequisites courses in the 1st 2 years. A minimum GPA of 3.3 and a grade “C” must be maintained on the prerequisites. 50 points are derived from the TEAS test while the remaining 12 points can be derived from any three of the following: Economic and environmental background, health experience or bilingual language proficiency. In the case there are veterans who meet admission requirements; they will be given preference over all other students. Fall and spring admissions are available.


California State University-San Bernardino
5000 University Pkwy, San Bernardino, CA 92407
The undergraduate nursing bachelors program at CSU-San Bernardino has fall and winter admission dates. Due to its impacted status, only residents of California are allowed to apply.
All applications to the pre-nursing program must be submitted online and must include a TEAS V score sheet of 70% or better, and an overall GPA of 3.0 on all college work and 3.0 on 9 selected prerequisites courses. Candidates with proof of bilingual proficiency are preferred over other students. Upon admission, students can choose to complete all courses of the generic BSN at Palm Desert campus or the Main Campus.


California State University- San Marcos
333 South Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92096
The relatively new generic Bachelor of nursing program involves 3 steps. Initially, high school freshmen are admitted as pre-health students to take general education courses during the 1st year. Upon successful completion, students become eligible for the step 2 also known as the pre-nursing major where pre-nursing core courses are taken. Admission into the step 3 is highly impacted and is therefore competitive and selective. This is based on a supplemental admission criterion from a number of factors including a minimum GPA of 2.7 on previous courses and bilingual proficiency. The major is designed to be completed in 3 years: 6 regular semesters and 2 summer sessions. Students can apply for a number of scholarships available and also join the Phi Theta Chapter of STTI honor society.


California State University-Stanislaus
1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382
The traditional pre-licensure nursing bachelor is offered on a full time basis at the Turlock campus. Candidates must have completed at least 2 science and 2 non-science prerequisites with a GPA of 2.75 during application. Other prerequisites requirements may be completed before the actual clinical nursing program starts. Besides prerequisites, additional points need to be taken in the supplemental application for the clinical phase of the program. These include bilingual proficiency, health care experience, and permanent residency in Stanislaus service area and admission status in CSU-Stanislaus. There are choices to start classes on fall or spring semesters for the 3-year clinical phase.


Dominican University of California
50 Acacia Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901
The Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) is 4-year guaranteed program designed for high school graduates. Such graduates desiring to be admitted into the University for the Nursing Program must have completed 1 year each of science & history and 2 years of math & international language. The clinical nursing phase starts at sophomore level and requires a separate application. Students must have attained a minimum GPA of 3.0 in 8 prerequisites be eligible. If a student fails in any 2 prerequisites courses, they cannot be allowed to apply to the major. The program is not impacted hence all pre-nursing students who complete the freshman courses successfully are welcome to declare a nursing major. There is also a high school honors programs to enable highly motivated students complete some of the nursing pre-nursing courses at high school senior year.


Holy Names University
3500 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619
Holy Names provides a generic bachelor degree in nursing in partnership with Samuel Merritt University. The degree plan is that students are first admitted at Holy Name for the first two years to take liberal arts courses, general education and prerequisites courses. If courses at Holy Name are completed with a GPA of 3.0 or better, students proceed to Samuel Merritt to complete the clinical nursing course package. Interested candidates must first apply at Holy Name by indicating interest in the major. The application package should include an essay, a recommendation letter and ACT or SAT I scores. Students will enjoy the benefits of studying at two universities and being taught by a diverse faculty pool. The BSN degree is awarded by Samuel Merritt.


Loma Linda University
11234 Anderson St, Loma Linda, CA 92354
As one of the renowned Seventh Day Adventist Universities in the country, it boasts to offer the nursing program to a culturally rich and diverse student’s body. The program is offered at the University Medical Center located in its East Campus. Prior to applying to the generic nursing program, students must have completed all prerequisites courses with a grade of “C” or better and cumulative GPA of 3.0. A score sheet of TEAS and Critical thinking must be submitted along with the application. Some of the prerequisites courses include physical activity,  public speaking, lifespan development, humanities, Intro to Sociology, general psychology, biochemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Math, Chemistry and Bio. All students must take the TEAS V while International students need to submit a TOEFL Score sheet. Three choices for fall, winter and spring admissions are available. There are numerous International nursing programs in locations like China and Malawi. There is also the Gamma Alpha Chapter of the STTI honor society for nurses.


Mount Saint Mary’s College
12001 Chalon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
The university is rooted into the traditions of its founder: the sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Students are admitted into the nursing programs after completing 1 year of prerequisites courses at the college or from articulated colleges within Los Angeles. The above must be completed with an overall GPA of 3.0 or 2.7 for all science courses. Candidates who meet this requirement are called to campus to take an admission exam in Math. Other items that must be submitted in the online application include an essay, personal statement and official transcripts from former colleges. Students who join the program at Mount as freshmen take 4 years to finish. Fall and spring admission cycles are available.


National University-San Diego
3678 Aero Court, San Diego, CA 92123
The Bachelor of Science in nursing-generic entry at NU-San Diego is offered in three campuses namely Los Angeles, Fresno and Rancho Bernardo Campuses. The department of nursing accepts applications from students who have completed all prerequisite courses; 18 courses equivalent to 69 quarter units. Admission into the program also requires candidates to complete a Proctored Written essay and a take a TEAS test. Candidates must have first been admitted into the university before this second application into the nursing program is done. The clinical program consists of 36 quarter units of supporting courses and 60 quarter units of nursing courses.


Point Loma Nazarene University
3900 Lomaland Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
Admission into the nursing bachelor degree is a two step process. First is the admission into the pre-nursing portion of the program. This portion can take 1-2 years to complete depending on the course load a student decides to take. This section must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 and a minimum grade of “C”. Transfer students with prerequisites taken online will not be accepted and have to retake them at Point Loma. In the second step, candidates who have taken at least 15 credits at the university and meet admission requirements are given priority over transfer students. Selection of candidates is based on the GPA rather than a point system. The 128 credit program can be completed in 4-years (for prerequisites completed in 1 year) or 5 years (for prerequisites completed in 2 years). Excellent international nursing and cross-cultural nursing experiences are available for junior and senior students.


Samuel Merritt University
3100 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
The university has had the BSN degree training for over a hundred years now. Students may choose between the freshmen entry and the direct entry options. For the freshman option, candidates must first be admitted in one of the 3 partnering schools ie St. Mary’s College of California, Holy Names University or Mills Colleges. N/B-Mills College is a women’s only college. If all pre-nursing coursework from the 3 colleges meets the admission requirement of Samuel Merritt, then students are guaranteed transfer to complete the clinical phase. On the other hand, the direct entry option is designed for transfer students from other colleges including community colleges. This only offers limited spots since priority is given to qualified students in the first option. For both entry options, a minimum of 66 lower division credits must have been completed with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and 2.50 on science pre-nursing courses. There is a fall and spring admission.


San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA 92182
The school of nursing has only one application cycle for the BSN degree from which fall and spring entrants are chosen. It is an impacted program and only a few students make it to the clinical phase despite a large number being admitted for the pre-nursing phase. Furthermore, the school does not maintain a waiting list for qualified applicants. All applicants are selected through a point system that includes score of TEAS, prerequisites and official transcripts. The clinical phase is designed for a full time mode but part time plans can be arranged through the academic advisors. Senior students who meet set criteria may also complete an additional 4 courses from the honors program in order to graduate with a BSN with honors.


San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132
The nursing baccalaureate degree program has one application cycle from which successful candidates are admitted for the fall and spring semesters. Applications must either be undeclared major continuing SFSU students or transfer students. In either case, candidates must have an all time GPA of 3.0 or better to be eligible for the impacted and selective admission. Other requirements include proof of California residency and results of the TEAS pre-admission exam. Candidates with bilingual proficiency and cross-cultural work and volunteer experience are given priority over other students. The program is offered n two locations: San Diego and Sequoia Health District at Canada College. Candidates interested in the later campus must also verify residency


San Jose State University
1 Washington Sq, San Jose, CA 95192
Nursing bachelors program is an impacted program at the university and interested candidates must satisfy a supplemental application criterion for the major. After completing a pre-nursing program at the university or a community college, candidates may apply for supplemental application. In this case, 30 most recent courses must have been completed with a GPA of 3.0 or better. 9 prerequisites must have been completed with no chances of “in Progress” prerequisites at the time of application. 5 of the pre-nursing courses taken (Anatomy, Physiology, Stats, Eng and Microbiology) must have been completed with a minimum composite GPA of 2.75. The remaining 4 must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Also included in the impaction scoring is a minimum of 68% on the TEAS V exam. All applications must have been received in the school at least 9months-1 year prior to the admission date. The nursing program runs the Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau honor society.


University of California-Los Angeles
700 Tiverton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095
The BS in nursing program is not too old having kicked off in fall 2006. The program admits new students once annually for classes starting fall semester. There are two options for admission: one for freshman entry and another limited number entry for transfer students. In addition to the general university admission, a school of nursing supplemental application is also needed when applying for the nursing major. This package must include 2 recommendation letters, a personal statement and work/ volunteer experience. The entire program requires a minimum of 180 units to complete; 95 of which are in the major. At junior and senior years, students may apply for quite a number of nursing scholarships at the university. Majors also participate in a summer research program. The Gamma Tau Chapter of the STTI honor society and the Alpha Tau Delta are organizations that student can join.


University of California-Irvine
252 Berk Hall, Irvine, CA 92697
The undergraduate bachelor of nursing program at UCI has only one admission per year for the fall semester. Interested candidates must make two applications: one for the university and another supplemental application to the school of nursing. However, admission into the university does not guarantee acceptance in the nursing program. Freshmen must have taken at least 2 years of high school biology and chemistry and earned a cumulative GPA of 2.75. No prerequisites courses should be in progress prior to making an application to the nursing major. Such courses must be completed with a grade “B” or better with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students with proof of volunteer experience in the health care field have a better edge during selection.


University of San Francisco-San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Jesuit Traditions of the founders of the university impact on students regardless of which program they are taking at USF. The Bachelor of Science in nursing serves the needs of traditional candidates who wish to become registered nurses. Candidates are admitted in the freshman year and become designated as “conditional admits”. In the freshman year, students take nursing support courses/prerequisites. Those who earn less than a “C” in the freshman courses become ineligible for the nursing major. Those who make it through this year begin nursing coursework during the 1st semester of the sophomore year. Students in the major can participate in international nursing program in Guatemala and Vietnam while highly motivated students can also become inducted in the Beta Gamma Chapter of the STTI honor society for nursing. Fall, winter and spring admissions are available.


West Coast University-Anaheim
1477 S. Manchester Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
The Anaheim campus located in Orange County is home to a number of health programs including the baccalaureate nursing degree. The program has a common curriculum offered in other campuses of West Coast University. Admission into the program is a year-round affair hence students are offered many start dates to kick-start their nursing career. To be admitted, students only require a high school diploma or GED besides passing in university-based entrance evaluations exams. The entire curriculum can be completed in about 39 months of year-round learning and students become eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. An exact replica of this program is also offered in West Coast University- Los Angeles-North Hollywood campus and the Ontario Campus.