Top MSN Programs in California
Master's degrees in nursing: nurse practitioner, education, leadership, informatics and entry-level tracks.
46 schools in California reported MSN-level nursing awards to IPEDS or have a verified MSN program profile; 6 programs have a verified profile. MSN Programs in all states
Data last reviewed: October 6, 2026
Sources: IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education) / CCNE directory / ACEN directory / official school websites
Listing does not certify educational quality or guarantee licensure eligibility. Verify details with the school before applying.
Listed alphabetically. Inclusion is editorial selection, not a ranking — see our methodology. How schools are selected
Schools (46)
| School | Location | Ownership | Nursing awards / programs | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National University | San Diego, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert, Grad Cert-FNP, Doctorate-CRNA | CCNE |
| Northcentral University | San Diego, CA | Private nonprofit | MSN-Leadership, PhD | — |
| Pacific College | Costa Mesa, CA | Private for-profit | LPN/LVN, ADN, BSN, MSN-FNP | CCNE |
| Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA | Private nonprofit | ADN, BSN, MSN | ACEN (candidate) |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, Post-Master's, DNP | CCNE |
| Samuel Merritt University | Oakland, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, MSN-CRNA, MSN-FNP, Post-Master's-FNP, Doctorate | CCNE |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Stanbridge University | Irvine, CA | Private for-profit | LPN/LVN, BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Touro University California | Vallejo, CA | Private nonprofit | MSN, Post-Master's-FNP | CCNE |
| United States University | San Diego, CA | Private for-profit | BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, MSN-Nurse Educator, Post-Master's-FNP, MSN-DNP | CCNE |
| University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | Public | MSN-Leadership, PhD-Leadership | CCNE |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | Public | BSN, MSN-Public Health, PhD | CCNE |
| University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, PhD | CCNE |
| University of California-San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Public | MSN, Post-Master's, PhD | CCNE |
| University of Phoenix-California | Ontario, CA | Private for-profit | MSN-FNP | — |
| University of San Diego | San Diego, CA | Private nonprofit | MSN, MSN-CNL, MSN-Leadership, DNP, PhD | CCNE |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN-CNS, DNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-PMHNP | CCNE |