Career Training Path › LPN / LVN programs › California
LPN / LVN programs in California
California has 79 accredited campuses awarding lpn credentials. If you finish and work as a licensed practical nurse in California, expect to start around $64,390–$74,840 and reach a median of $79,750 with experience; the top quarter earn $93,720 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, California). Graduates of these California programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $41,412 in their first year, against $37,410 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn in California
$64,390starting (10th percentile)
$74,840early career (25th)
$79,750median, all experience
$93,720experienced (75th)
$100,450top earners (90th)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 82,850 employed in California. National median: $64,400.
Campuses in California, ranked by what their graduates earned
79campuses in California
6,299credentials awarded / yr
$41,412median earnings, yr 1 (California)
$37,410median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)
Cities: AlhambraAnaheimAntiochArtesiaBakersfieldBeaumontBlytheBurbankChula VistaClovisCosta MesaDowneyEurekaFremontGilroyGlendaleGlendoraHaywardIrvineJoshua TreeLa PuenteLancasterLong BeachLos AngelesMaderaMercedNapaOceansideOntarioOrangeOrovillePalm DesertPalm SpringsPanorama CityParamountPasadenaPomonaQuincyRancho CucamongaRancho Mirage
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unitek College | South San Francisco | for-profit career college | 130 | $56,335 | $16,973 | 73% | $27,497 |
| Unitek College | Hayward | for-profit career college | 87 | $56,335 | $16,973 | 63% | $22,524 |
| Blake Austin College | Vacaville | for-profit career college | 109 | $53,553 | $17,900 | 89% | $34,706 |
| Unitek College | Fremont | for-profit college | 860 | $52,224 | $16,610 | not reported | $27,775 |
| Angeles College | Los Angeles | for-profit college | 135 | $49,836 | $20,000 | not reported | $33,854 |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts | San Jose | for-profit college | 622 | $49,406 | $17,317 | not reported | $36,834 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento | Sacramento | for-profit college | 188 | $49,054 | $17,375 | not reported | $45,593 |
| Carrington College-San Jose | San Jose | for-profit career college | 38 | $49,054 | $17,375 | 60% | $41,194 |
| Pacific College | Costa Mesa | for-profit college | 98 | $47,647 | not reported | not reported | $30,789 |
| Stanbridge University | Irvine | for-profit university | 235 | $47,562 | $19,996 | not reported | $49,714 |
| Xavier College School of Nursing | Stockton | for-profit career college | 43 | $46,732 | $16,687 | 80% | $20,526 |
| California Career Institute | Anaheim | for-profit career college | 101 | $46,672 | $17,363 | not reported | not reported |
| Marian Health Careers Center-Los Angeles Campus | Los Angeles | for-profit career school | 90 | $46,591 | $10,897 | 67% | $35,806 |
| Marian Health Careers Center-Van Nuys Campus | Van Nuys | for-profit career school | 39 | $46,591 | $10,897 | 71% | $34,736 |
| Smith Chason College | Los Angeles | for-profit college | 147 | $46,283 | $16,640 | not reported | not reported |
| Clovis Adult Education | Clovis | Public community college | 43 | $44,088 | not reported | 68% | not reported |
| American Career College-Ontario | Ontario | for-profit career college | 279 | $43,129 | $17,200 | 66% | $37,857 |
| Homestead Schools | Torrance | non-profit college | 82 | $42,890 | $18,040 | not reported | $20,937 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | for-profit career college | 49 | $42,396 | $20,000 | 58% | $27,534 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | Visalia | for-profit college | 25 | $42,396 | $20,000 | not reported | $33,136 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria | Santa Maria | for-profit career college | 19 | $42,396 | $20,000 | 63% | $29,900 |
| San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage | Rancho Mirage | for-profit career college | 12 | $42,396 | $20,000 | 70% | $32,789 |
| National Career College | Panorama City | for-profit career college | 55 | $41,412 | $17,947 | 75% | $34,495 |
| High Desert Medical College | Lancaster | for-profit career college | 182 | $41,286 | $17,567 | 68% | $34,844 |
| Career Development Institute Inc | Los Angeles | for-profit career college | 104 | $41,270 | $16,873 | 79% | $32,350 |
| American Career College-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | for-profit career college | 288 | $41,027 | $17,200 | 75% | $37,270 |
| American Career College-Anaheim | Anaheim | for-profit career college | 270 | $41,027 | $17,200 | 70% | $35,751 |
| North-West College-West Covina | West Covina | for-profit career college | 86 | $40,948 | $18,075 | 68% | $34,193 |
| Glendale Career College | Glendale | for-profit college | 39 | $40,576 | $14,845 | not reported | $51,802 |
| Career Networks Institute | Santa Ana | for-profit college | 35 | $39,826 | not reported | not reported | $52,552 |
| North-West College-Riverside | Riverside | for-profit career college | 67 | $39,321 | $18,482 | 72% | $36,572 |
| North-West College-Pomona | Pomona | for-profit career college | 64 | $39,321 | $18,482 | 71% | $35,112 |
| North-West College-Long Beach | Long Beach | for-profit career college | 48 | $39,321 | $18,482 | 58% | $36,942 |
| North-West College-Anaheim | Anaheim | for-profit career college | 13 | $39,321 | $18,482 | 60% | $31,922 |
| North-West College-Van Nuys | Van Nuys | for-profit career college | 42 | $37,803 | $15,487 | 60% | $36,507 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | Public community college | 22 | $37,665 | not reported | 40% | not reported |
| California Nurses Educational Institute | Palm Springs | for-profit career college | 87 | $35,854 | $20,000 | 81% | $28,452 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | Public community college | 6 | $35,428 | not reported | 31% | not reported |
| Career Care Institute | Lancaster | for-profit career college | 182 | $34,797 | $17,246 | 71% | $55,157 |
| CES College | Burbank | non-profit career college | 43 | $33,825 | $16,810 | 56% | $38,165 |
| Beaumont Adult School | Beaumont | Public community college | 38 | $33,708 | $17,033 | 100% | $36,385 |
| University of Antelope Valley | Lancaster | for-profit university | 40 | $33,100 | $16,323 | not reported | not reported |
| Charles A Jones Career and Education Center | Sacramento | Public technical college | 26 | $32,369 | $9,496 | 65% | $21,579 |
| Healthcare Career College | Paramount | for-profit career college | 17 | $27,584 | $20,000 | 71% | $18,873 |
| Hacienda La Puente Adult Education | La Puente | Public community college | 16 | $27,484 | not reported | 77% | $9,138 |
| Platt College-Los Angeles | Alhambra | for-profit college | 16 | $24,173 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Riverside City College | Riverside | Public community college | 66 | not reported | not reported | 37% | not reported |
| Citrus College | Glendora | Public community college | 64 | not reported | not reported | 41% | not reported |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | Public community college | 61 | not reported | not reported | 26% | not reported |
| Merced College | Merced | Public community college | 61 | not reported | not reported | 36% | not reported |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | Public community college | 59 | not reported | not reported | 30% | not reported |
| Medical Allied Career Center | Santa Fe Springs | for-profit career school | 59 | not reported | $17,130 | 81% | $39,799 |
| Hartnell College | Salinas | Public community college | 58 | not reported | not reported | 40% | not reported |
| Butte College | Oroville | Public community college | 54 | not reported | $11,824 | 45% | not reported |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | Public community college | 51 | not reported | not reported | 34% | not reported |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista | Public community college | 50 | not reported | not reported | 36% | not reported |
| Downey Adult School | Downey | Public community college | 48 | not reported | not reported | 31% | $18,545 |
| Angeles Institute | Artesia | for-profit career college | 42 | not reported | $17,783 | 47% | $31,664 |
| Madera Community College | Madera | Public community college | 41 | not reported | not reported | 35% | not reported |
| Mission College | Santa Clara | Public community college | 41 | not reported | not reported | 39% | not reported |
| College of the Redwoods | Eureka | Public community college | 35 | not reported | not reported | 34% | not reported |
| Sacramento City College | Sacramento | Public community college | 32 | not reported | not reported | 34% | not reported |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | Public college | 26 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Copper Mountain Community College | Joshua Tree | Public community college | 24 | not reported | not reported | 20% | not reported |
| Sri Sai Krish Institute | Orange | for-profit career college | 24 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cerro Coso Community College | Ridgecrest | Public community college | 23 | not reported | not reported | 25% | not reported |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | Public community college | 22 | not reported | not reported | 48% | not reported |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside | Public college | 20 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Contra Costa Medical Career College | Antioch | for-profit career college | 19 | not reported | not reported | 100% | not reported |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | Public college | 17 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Lassen Community College | Susanville | Public community college | 17 | not reported | not reported | 31% | not reported |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier | Public college | 15 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | Public community college | 14 | not reported | not reported | 48% | not reported |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | Public community college | 13 | not reported | not reported | 36% | not reported |
| Napa Valley College | Napa | Public community college | 13 | not reported | not reported | 43% | not reported |
| Palo Verde College | Blythe | Public community college | 9 | not reported | not reported | 31% | not reported |
| Gavilan College | Gilroy | Public community college | 2 | not reported | not reported | 43% | not reported |
| College of the Siskiyous | Weed | Public community college | 1 | not reported | not reported | 33% | not reported |
| Feather River Community College District | Quincy | Public college | 1 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.
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