Easiest Nursing Schools to Get into in California 2024[UPDATED]

Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Michael Tijani

Enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs increased nearly 6% in 2020, to 250,856, according to preliminary results from an annual survey of 900 nursing schools by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. With this sudden bump in the number of applicants, gaining admission into a nursing school would be extremely competitive.

Nursing is an interdisciplinary and collaborative profession by nature. It includes the application of the knowledge acquired from biological, social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. The nursing school prepares graduates for basic and advanced clinical practice roles, as well as for educational, administrative, and research positions across the healthcare delivery system worldwide.

However, we made this article to share with you some of the easiest nursing schools to get into in California. Also, you will get to know the acceptance rates of these institutions, their minimum GPA requirements, the average NCLEX-RN passing rates, and lots more. Kindly read through to learn more.

Do I need a college degree for a nursing home provisional license?

In most cases, yes, you will need a college degree to obtain a nursing home provisional license. In order to practice as a nursing home administrator, you must meet certain educational and experience requirements set by your state’s nursing licensing board. These requirements vary by state, but most states require that applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, long-term care administration, or any related field. Some states may also require that applicants acquire a certain level of work experience in the healthcare industry before they can apply for a nursing home provisional license.

Do all nursing schools in the United States require a standardized exam for entrance?

No, there are a number of Nursing Schools Without Entrance Exams in the United States. Some nursing schools may require applicants to take a specific entrance exam, such as the Nursing School Entrance Exam (NSEE) or the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), as part of the application process. However, many nursing schools do not require applicants to take a standardized entrance exam but rather focus on other admission measures, such as grades, recommendations, community service records, and personal statements, when evaluating applicants for admission.

List of Easiest Nursing Schools to Get into in California

Yes, you need a less competitive nursing school to apply for studies, but before applying to any nursing school, several factors must be considered, including the learning facilities of the institution, its accreditation, the average NCLEX-RN pass rate, and many more. It might interest you to know that these are some of the criteria we based our selection on. So below are a few of the easiest nursing schools in California. These schools are also some of the least competitive nursing schools in California. You can apply for studies as long as you meet their requirements.

1. Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing

The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing is the nursing school of the University of California, Irvine. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Program was first established in 2006.

The school offers undergraduate and graduate nursing programs that help students take up critical clinical roles upon graduation. It is one of the easiest nursing schools to get into in California.

The school’s bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the School of Nursing is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).

• NCLEX Pass Rate: 94%
• Minimum GPA in baccalaureate degree: 3.0
• Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing has an acceptance rate of 3.6

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2. San Diego State University School of Nursing

The School of Nursing was established as a baccalaureate program within San Diego State University in 1953, with a master’s program being added in 1982.

The faculty in the School of Nursing is committed to providing excellent learning opportunities for graduate students within an intellectually stimulating environment that incorporates clinical practice, research, and service to the university and the community.

San Diego State University maintains and promotes a policy of nondiscrimination and nonharassment on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, and national origin.

California State University is committed to providing equal opportunities to men and women CSU students in all campus programs, including intercollegiate athletics.

“The mission of the School of Nursing is to enhance and improve the health and well-being of the people of California and beyond. The School of Nursing prepares nurses and scholars to lead and transform nursing care in a rapidly changing, diverse, and complex healthcare environment through academic excellence, professional practice, and strong community partnerships.” The school is enriched by its diverse student population.

The Baccalaureate degree in nursing and Master’s degree in nursing programs at San Diego State University are all accredited by the CCNE, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and also by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

• San Diego state university school of Nursing acceptance rate: 34%
• Average GPA of 3.0
• Average NCLEX-RN Passing rate: 96.00%

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3. California State University, Long Beach

California State University, Long Beach, is a public university located in Long Beach, California. The institution was founded as Los Angeles-Orange County State College in 1949 by the then Californian Governor Earl Warren to serve the rapidly expanding post-World War II population of Orange and Southern Los Angeles counties. Since then, CSULB has grown to become one of the state’s largest universities. It is also a member of the WUE Schools in California.

The university offers 82 different bachelor’s degrees, 65 master’s degrees, and four doctoral degrees in various academic disciplines. The university currently has an estimated student population of about 41,264 students consisting of undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral students spread across the 78 academic programs in the institution.

• California State University, Long Beach Acceptance rate: 48%
• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 99.25%
• Average GPA: 3.56
• Graduation rate: 69%

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4. California State University, Los Angeles

California State University, Los Angeles, is a public university located in Los Angeles, California. It is part of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system. California State University, Los Angeles offers 142 bachelor’s degrees, 122 master’s degrees, and four doctoral degrees: a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in special education in collaboration with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Doctor of Audiology (AuD). It also offers 22 teaching credentials.

• California State University, Los Angeles Acceptance rate: 76%
• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 95.4%
• Average GPA: 3.24
• Graduation rate: 49%

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5. California State University, Sacramento

California State University, Sacramento, is the eleventh (11th) oldest school in the 23-campus California State University system. It is a public university located in Sacramento, California. The school was founded on September 22, 1947, as the Sacramento State College. The school enrolls approximately 31,500 students annually. The school offers 151 different bachelor’s degrees, 69 master’s degrees, 28 types of teaching credentials, and 5 doctoral degrees.

California State University, Sacramento, currently has an estimated student population of about 32,323 spread across the eight (8) colleges in the institution. It is also a member of  the WUE Schools in California

• California State University, Sacramento Acceptance rate: 83%
• Average GPA: 3.42
• California State University, Sacramento NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 98.53%
• Graduation rate: 78%

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6. California State University Fullerton

California State University, Fullerton, is a public university in Fullerton, California. The school was first established in 1957 as Orange County State College, which became the 12th state college in California to be authorized by the state legislature as a degree-granting institution.

The school currently has a total student population of about 42,654 as of the time of writing this article. It has the largest student body in the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system, and its graduate student body of more than 5,000 is one of the largest in CSU and in all of California.

The university offers a total of about 109 Degree programs: 55 undergraduate degrees and 54 graduate degrees, including three doctorates degrees in art, athletic training, business, chemistry, communications, communicative disorders, computer science, dance, engineering, music, nursing, public administration, public health, social work, teacher education, and theater. These programs are spread across the school’s four (4) Library arts colleges and four (4) vocational colleges.

California State University, Fullerton, has one of the easiest nursing schools to get into in California.

• Acceptance rate: 68%
• Average GPA: 3.68
• NCLEX-RN Pass Rates: 96.55%
• Graduation Rate: 66%

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