Compare accreditation, costs, NCLEX outcomes, and program formats for Irvine-area BSN programs side by side.
Irvine anchors the southern end of Orange County’s healthcare corridor, where hospitals and outpatient clinics report persistent demand for BSN-prepared registered nurses. The metro area’s RN wages run well above national medians, yet the cost of living requires careful weighing of tuition and net price.
Public universities like UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, along with private and associate-degree programs within a 75-mile radius, give students multiple entry points. Accelerated pathways for career changers and LVN programs further shorten the timeline for those who already hold a degree or license.
What distinguishes the strongest programs is not just affordability but clinical access: UC Irvine’s BSN places half its students at UCI Medical Center, and several NCLEX pass rates top the state average.
The Irvine area is home to a range of nursing programs, from associate degrees to direct-entry master's options, serving students across Orange County. The following BSN and prelicensure programs are ranked for their combination of affordability, graduate outcomes, and local relevance.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | $14,000/yr (net price) | Orange County residents wanting in-state UC value | |
Located in Irvine, UC Irvine is the only public research university nursing school in the city. The campus-based BSN and Master's Entry Program in Nursing integrate intensive clinical placements at UCI Medical Center and local health systems. With small cohorts, in-state UC tuition, and a focus on Orange County communities, it offers exceptional value and proximity for Irvine residents.
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| #2 | California State University-Fullerton | Fullerton, CA | $7,000 – $20,000/yr | Irvine-area commuters seeking affordable CSU BSN | |
California State University, Fullerton, situated just north of Irvine, provides an affordable, commuter-friendly path to a BSN. Its School of Nursing offers both a traditional freshman-entry track and an upper-division transfer option, with clinical partnerships at St. Joseph Hospital, CHOC, and Kaiser Orange County. CSUF is one of the most cost-effective BSN options in the region for California residents.
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| #3 | University of California-Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $13,000/yr (net price) | SoCal students targeting elite research nursing | |
UCLA's School of Nursing offers a highly selective BSN and direct-entry MSN, both known for exceptional graduate earnings and low median debt. The programs emphasize research, evidence-based practice, and a strong Southern California clinical network. While competitive, UCLA provides a powerful return on investment for California residents, with transfer pathways available for qualified applicants.
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| #4 | University of California-Davis | Davis, CA | $10,000 – $15,000/yr | ||
UC Davis offers an 18-month Master's Entry Program in Nursing, an accelerated pathway for career changers with a prior bachelor's degree. The full-time program, located on the Sacramento campus, combines case-based learning with clinical experiences and a capstone project. While not in Orange County, it provides a UC-branded MSN that may appeal to Irvine residents seeking a fast track to RN licensure.
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| #5 | Xavier College School of Nursing | Stockton, CA | ~$15,000/yr (est.) | ||
Xavier College School of Nursing, a small private institution in Stockton, offers a state-approved Associate of Science in Nursing. The program provides a caring educational environment with national accreditation. While not in the Irvine area, it is a viable prelicensure ADN option for students willing to relocate within California, with relatively low median graduate debt.
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| #6 | San Jose State University | San Jose, CA | $14,000/yr | ||
San Jose State University's BSN program is a full-time, on-campus offering tailored for students new to nursing. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, it prepares graduates for the RN exam through hands-on training and a comprehensive curriculum. In-state CSU tuition makes it an affordable choice, though admission requires prerequisite courses and the TEAS exam.
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| #7 | Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health | Los Angeles, CA | |||
Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health, a county-affiliated public institution, provides an affordable ADN with outstanding graduate earnings. The small student-faculty ratio and deep integration with LAC+USC Medical Center give students intensive clinical exposure. It offers both a basic RN track and an advanced placement option for licensed vocational nurses.
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| #8 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA | $15,000/yr (net price) | ||
San Diego State University offers a direct-entry BSN for freshmen who meet competitive admission standards, including a minimum 3.0 GPA and strong science grades. The campus-based program emphasizes evidence-based practice and professional development through hands-on clinicals. CSU in-state tuition and a solid graduation rate make it a strong value for Southern California residents.
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| #9 | De Anza College | Cupertino, CA | $2,000 – $13,000/yr | ||
De Anza College in Cupertino provides an extremely affordable ADN pathway with strong NCLEX exam preparation. The program includes a traditional Associate Degree Nursing track and an LVN-to-RN transition option. With a net price under $7,000 and median graduate debt of just $5,625, it is one of the most budget-friendly routes to RN licensure in California.
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| #10 | California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | $7,000 – $20,000/yr | ||
CSU Long Beach offers a 5-semester upper-division BSN program for students who have completed prerequisite coursework. Although competitive, it requires no letters of recommendation or entrance exams beyond the Casper test. Its location in Long Beach puts it within commuting distance from north Orange County, and in-state CSU tuition keeps costs manageable.
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NCLEX pass rates are the most direct measure of how well a nursing program prepares students for licensure. They reflect first-time test-taker success on the national RN exam, making them essential for evaluating BSN programs in Irvine. The numbers tell a clear story about local quality and graduate readiness.
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) posted a 91.3% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for May 2025 graduates.1 This easily tops California's 2024-2025 state average of 82.3% and the national average of 87% for the same period.2 Strong pass rates aren't limited to UCI. Other Irvine-area institutions, including Concordia University Irvine, Stanbridge University, and West Coast University, have historically shown solid results, with many programs exceeding state benchmarks. For exact, current rates, check the California Board of Registered Nursing's annual school report.
Yes. UCI's Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Science. The four-year campus-based program combines rigorous academics with clinical placements, and its 91.3% NCLEX pass rate confirms graduates are well-prepared. This makes it a top choice for students who want a direct path to RN licensure from a nationally recognized university.
Long-term earnings data adds another layer to outcome evaluation. According to federal College Scorecard data, UCI BSN graduates earn a median of $80,735 ten years after starting their studies. While program-level earnings for other Irvine-area nursing schools are not yet available in the Scorecard, the region's robust healthcare job market generally supports strong salaries for new nurses. When you pair a license-exam pass rate above 90% with six-figure earning potential over time, the return on a nursing degree in Irvine looks exceptionally strong.
Sticker prices can be misleading. The net price, what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, paints a clearer picture. The figures below represent institution-wide averages, so your individual cost may differ based on your financial situation. Among public BSN programs within reach of Irvine, Cal State LA shows the lowest net price at $3,967, while Cal State Fullerton’s net price is $6,555.
How can you earn a BSN faster if you already have a bachelor’s degree, or if you’re an LVN ready to move into RN practice? Irvine-area programs offer several routes that cut the traditional timeline, each tailored to different starting points.
If you hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 65 college credits outside nursing, Concordia University Irvine’s Accelerated BSN (ABSN) can prepare you for the NCLEX-RN in just 15 months. The program blends hybrid coursework with 765 hours of hands-on clinicals, and it demands a strong science foundation: prerequisites in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, and nutrition, all taken within the last five to seven years. Online science courses that rely exclusively on virtual labs are not accepted, though home-kit lab coursework may be considered. After you enroll, Concordia also requires two theology courses, which are completed online. UC Irvine does not offer a standalone ABSN; instead, it funnels career-changers into an accelerated master’s entry program (MEPN) at the graduate level.
For current RNs with an associate degree or diploma, Concordia University Irvine provides an RN-to-BSN pathway that builds on your license and clinical experience. Licensed vocational nurses can step up through Concordia’s LVN-to-RN Certificate, which leads to NCLEX-RN eligibility but does not culminate in a BSN, graduates aiming for a bachelor’s later would need an additional completion program.
Concordia’s ABSN operates in a hybrid format, with asynchronous online didactic work paired with in-person labs and clinicals. The RN-to-BSN curriculum, like most bridge programs in the region, is structured to accommodate work schedules, frequently delivering coursework online or in the evenings so you can continue earning while you study.
Registered nurses in the Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine metro area benefit from California’s high healthcare wages. While the BLS does not publish earnings at the city level, national and state figures illuminate the strong financial outlook for RNs.
Our rankings compare BSN programs using concrete student outcomes rather than subjective reputation. We pull four metrics from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard: net price (what students actually pay after aid), institution-wide graduation rates, median earnings of former students one year after completing their degree, and typical graduate debt levels. These measures balance affordability, completion likelihood, and return on investment.
Because nursing students often commute to campus from surrounding communities, we include all schools within a 75-mile radius of Irvine. This means some listed programs are located in nearby Orange County cities or even farther; we list them because they are geographically accessible for a daily commute or hybrid schedule. A crucial caveat: the graduation rates we cite are for the entire school, not just the nursing program. College Scorecard does not separate outcomes by major, so a high university-wide rate strengthens the overall signal but does not guarantee a nursing-specific outcome. We provide this rationale openly, while many competitor lists never explain how schools are chosen, leaving readers to wonder whether the rankings are arbitrary or paid placements.
Prospective nursing students often have questions about programs, costs, and outcomes in the Irvine area. Below we answer the most common inquiries to help you navigate your nursing education options with confidence.
