California

For our 2024 rankings of prelicensure BSN programs, the research team at Nursing Schools Almanac compiled an extensive database of student performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Aspiring registered nurses in the United States must pass this examination before they may commence practice. Thus, student performance on the NCLEX-RN exam provides an excellent benchmark for comparing the relative quality of bachelor’s degree programs.

One of the fastest routes to licensure as a registered nurse (RN) is an associate degree program. A traditional ADN curriculum requires two years of fulltime study and prepares graduates to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Many of California’s approved ADN schools also offer an advanced placement option for licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), often called an LVN-to-RN bridge program. Indeed, several schools like Allan Hancock College and College of the Siskiyous offer only the LVN-to-RN track.

Licensed vocational nurses care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the supervision of registered nurses, surgeons, and physicians. They measure and record vital signs, dress wounds, prepare and give injections, collect samples for testing, and clean and monitor medical equipment. LVNs also gather information from patients for medical and insurance purposes, teach family members how to care for patients, and supervise junior healthcare staff such as certified nursing assistants (CNAs).