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ACEN, CCNE and CNEA: what nursing accreditation means

Approval, institutional accreditation and nursing program accreditation are three different things. Here is how to tell them apart and why each one matters.

Key facts

Last updated

  • Every pre-licensure RN program in California must be approved by the Board of Registered Nursing; national nursing accreditation (ACEN, CCNE or CNEA) is voluntary. Source: CA BRN approved RN programs, retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
  • Of 145 active California RN programs with accreditation data, 53 report CCNE, 28 ACEN and 1 CNEA nursing accreditation; 63 report none. Source: CA BRN accreditation and attrition table, retrieved Oct 7, 2026.
1Mandatory

State Board approval

Required. In California the Board of Registered Nursing must approve a pre-licensure program for its graduates to qualify for the NCLEX-RN and licensure.

2Whole school

Institutional accreditation

Required by the BRN. The college as a whole is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, such as WSCUC or ACCJC.

3Voluntary

Nursing program accreditation

Voluntary. A national nursing accreditor (ACEN, CCNE or CNEA) reviews the nursing program itself against professional standards.

The three national nursing accreditors

ACENCCNECNEA
Full nameAccreditation Commission for Education in NursingCommission on Collegiate Nursing EducationNLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation
AffiliationIndependent (formerly NLNAC)Autonomous arm of the American Association of Colleges of NursingNational League for Nursing
Program levelsPractical, diploma, associate, baccalaureate, master's, clinical doctorateBaccalaureate, master's, doctoral (DNP), post-graduate certificates, residencies. Not associate degrees.Practical through doctoral, including associate degrees
Common in CA forADNBSN ELMRare so far
CA programs reporting it28531
Verifyacenursing.orgaacnnursing.org/ccnecnea.nln.org

California snapshot

How California programs report accreditation

Of 145 active programs with an entry in the BRN's accreditation table, 63 report no national nursing program accreditation, mostly community college ADN programs. That does not mean they are unsafe: they are BRN-approved and their graduates can be licensed. It can matter later if you apply to a graduate program or an employer that requires a degree from an accredited program.

Source: California BRN, Accreditation, Attrition and On Time Completion Rates, retrieved Oct 7, 2026. Counts are as reported in that table (for example, one ADN entry lists CCNE, which normally accredits bachelor's and higher). Accreditation status can change; confirm with the accreditor.

ADN programs90 with data

CCNE 0 · ACEN 28 · CNEA 1 · None reported 61

BSN programs43 with data

CCNE 41 · ACEN 0 · CNEA 0 · None reported 2

ELM programs12 with data

CCNE 12 · ACEN 0 · CNEA 0 · None reported 0

CCNEACENCNEANone reported

Why program accreditation can matter to you

  • Graduate schoolMany MSN, NP and DNP programs require or prefer a BSN from a nationally accredited program.
  • EmployersSome health systems, the military and federal employers look for degrees from accredited nursing programs.
  • Quality signalAccreditation means outside peer reviewers have checked curriculum, faculty and outcomes on a regular cycle.

Open programs by reported national accreditation

As reported to the BRN (accreditation table). "None reported" does not mean a program is unapproved: BRN approval is what qualifies graduates for the NCLEX-RN.

CCNE (54)

ACEN (28)

CNEA (1)

None reported (64)

How to cite this data

Last updated . Please cite SEAPHE and the original public source.

Suggested citation: SEAPHE. (2026). California RN program accreditation status (ACEN, CCNE, CNEA) [Data set]. Compiled from California Board of Registered Nursing public records. https://seaphe.org/accreditation/ (updated Oct 7, 2026).

Original source: California BRN, Program Accreditation and Attrition; California BRN, Approved Pre-Licensure RN Programs.

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