Top Nursing Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area: Online & Campus

This guide can help you sort through the many online and on-campus nursing programs in the San Francisco Bay Area and decide which will best help you achieve your goals. These schools are accredited and approved by the California Board of Nursing, while also excelling in affordability, flexibility, and academic quality. Find your San Francisco Bay Area nursing school match and other helpful information on financial aid, licensing requirements, and the local job market by reading on to see which schools made our list.

University of California San Francisco

The School of Nursing at the University of California San Francisco offers programs for those who want to pursue graduate degrees in nursing. Its master’s programs include the accelerated Master’s Entry Program for non-nurses with bachelor’s degrees in other areas and the MSN for those who have RN licenses. UCSF also has an MS Healthcare Administration and Interprofessional Leadership program that connects students with professionals dedicated to making healthcare accessible, affordable, and sustainable.

Individuals interested in working as Family Nurse Practitioners can gain the knowledge they need through a post-master’s program. Additionally, the school’s doctoral program offers a PhD with an emphasis on either nursing or sociology and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Postdoctoral programs are also available, either tailored to the student or chosen through a fellowship program.

City College of San Francisco

The Registered Nursing Department at the City College of San Francisco provides a hybrid Registered Nursing AS Major program for those who need the flexibility to attend school while keeping up with work, family, and community obligations. This associate degree program allows students to engage in coursework, hands-on simulation labs, and hands-on work at clinical sites in the Bay Area. It cultivates the ability to apply the principles of effective communication, provide health education to patients, exercise critical thinking skills, and more.

Those who are RNs and have associate degrees can take advantage of the ADN to BSN program that takes about two years and provides the opportunity to continue working while taking some courses online. This collaborative program partners with San Francisco State University to provide both ADN and BSN degrees.

Holy Names University

Many of the nursing programs offered through the School of Science, Allied Health, and Nursing at Holy Names University are hybrid or online. Master’s degree paths include RN to MSN and MSN hybrid programs. The MSN to Family Nurse Practitioner, MSN Nurse Administration, and MSN Nurse Educator programs are also hybrid. The MSN to MBA hybrid track is for those who want to take a business, administration, and management approach to their nursing career. The school’s Doctor of Nursing Practice, the pinnacle of the profession, is offered fully online.

Holy Names offers other nursing programs as well, including a BSN pathway for registered nurses. Specialties in this in-person program include pediatric medical surgery and intensive care.

How to Become an RN in the Bay Area: Licensing Requirements

Since the requirements needed to become a registered nurse are developed and implemented at the state level, check with the California Board of Registered Nursing for how to become a registered nurse in San Francisco. One of the most common paths is licensure by examination, which involves graduating from a CBORN-approved pre-licensure RN program. After graduation, applicants must also apply for an RN license with CBORN and pass the NCLEX-RN. For more detailed information about the licensing process, see our guide to nursing schools in California.

Types of Nursing Programs Available in the San Francisco Bay Area

Nursing programs in San Francisco offer the opportunity to earn an associate degree to start your nursing career, a bachelor’s degree to promote career advancement, and a graduate degree to hone and specialize your career skills. The most common options along with nursing schools in the Bay Area offering them are detailed below.

Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs in the Bay Area

Bay Area Nursing Bridge Programs for Current Nurses

Advanced Nursing Programs in San Francisco Bay Area

Financial Aid Opportunities for Nursing Students in the San Francisco Bay Area

The nursing field is one of the most in-demand within an already booming healthcare industry. Earning a nursing degree is expensive, though, and financial aid is often needed by many to alleviate the financial burden. The most common forms include scholarships, grants, and student loans offered by both private and government entities. For example, the State of California’s Department of Health Care Access and Information offers healthcare scholarships, grants, and loan repayments to professionals who provide direct care to underserved areas. Learn about other types and sources of financial aid through our nursing scholarship guide, financial aid guide, and nursing student loan forgiveness guide.

Earnings for RNs in the SF Bay Area

Earning a nursing degree can be extremely rigorous, ensuring that graduates have the knowledge and skills needed to earn a license and gain employment. As a result, while you explore nursing school options in the San Francisco Bay Area, you may wonder if all this hard work is going to be worth it. One concern you may have is whether you will be able to earn a good living when you enter the field. The good news is that the data below show you can. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region, registered nurses earn, on average, $181,240 annually. The lowest earners make $119,010, while the highest earners make $221,840. In California, the salaries for registered nurses are lower. The 10th percentile of earners makes $83,510, and the 90th percentile of registered nurses makes $194,240. The median salary in the state is $133,990.