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
Verified program profiles (6)
Individual programs whose details we verified on the school's own website, each fact with a source.
| Program | School | Award / pathway | Format | Tuition (basis) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level Master’s in Nursing (ELM) | Azusa Pacific University | MSN, Direct-Entry MSN | On-campus | $895 per credit |
| MSN with NP Specialties | Azusa Pacific University | MSN, AGPCNP, FNP, PNP-PC, PMHNP | On-campus | $895 per credit |
| Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner | United States University | MSN, FNP | Online coursework | $745.50 per credit |
| Master of Science in Nursing – Health Care Leadership | United States University | MSN, Leadership | Online coursework | $451 per credit |
| Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Educator | United States University | MSN, Nurse Educator | Online coursework | $451 per credit |
| MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner (online) | West Coast University-Orange County | MSN, FNP | Online coursework | $43,502 total program |
Schools (46)
| School | Location | Ownership | Nursing awards / programs | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American University of Health Sciences | Signal Hill, CA | Private for-profit | BSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Leadership, Post-Master's-FNP | CCNE |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, LPN-BSN, RN-BSN, MSN, MSN-AGPCNP, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, MSN-PNP-PC, Direct-Entry MSN, DNP, DNP-AGPCNP, DNP-FNP, DNP-Leadership, BSN-DNP, PhD | CCNE |
| California Baptist University | Riverside, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN, PhD | CCNE |
| California State University-Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-Channel Islands | Camarillo, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert | CCNE |
| California State University-Chico | Chico, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-East Bay | Hayward, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-Fresno | Fresno, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| California State University-Fullerton | Fullerton, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, DNP | CCNE |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert-Public Health | CCNE |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Public | BSN, MSN, Grad Cert, Post-Master's | CCNE |
| California State University-Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-San Bernardino | San Bernardino, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| California State University-Stanislaus | Turlock, CA | Public | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science | Los Angeles, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN-CNL, MSN-FNP, MSN-PMHNP, Post-Master's-FNP, Post-Master's-PMHNP, DNP | CCNE |
| Fresno Pacific University | Fresno, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN | CCNE |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN-Leadership, PhD, PhD-CNS, PhD-CRNA, PhD-FNP, PhD-PMHNP | CCNE |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Los Angeles, CA | Private nonprofit | BSN, MSN-CNS, Grad Cert-CNS | CCNE |