CSU Nursing Programs Compared: Pass Rates, Seats, Cost and Impaction

CSU nursing programs ranked by NCLEX pass rate

Across all 17 campuses, 8,873 first-time testers passed at 93.7% over the last five years. In 2024–25 the system's graduates passed at 92.9%, while the statewide average for every California program was 90.2% and the BSN average was 89.0%.

The spread between campuses matters more than the system average. CSU Long Beach (98.5%), CSU Fullerton (97.2%) and CSU Bakersfield (96.5%) lead on five-year results. At the other end, CSU East Bay (86.9%), San Francisco State University (88.3%) and CSU Northridge (89.6%) trail the group. Even so, all of them clear California's 75% standard, the line the BRN uses to flag a program for review.

A single year can mislead, especially at smaller programs, so we lead with the five-year figure. Our guide What Is a Good NCLEX Pass Rate? explains how to read these numbers, and the full California NCLEX pass rate table lets you compare any CSU with nearby community colleges and private schools.

Seats: campus size varies widely

The BRN approves each program for a set number of new students a year. The 17 CSU programs add up to 1,966 approved seats. CSU Long Beach (228), San Diego State University (200) and CSU Sacramento (160) are the largest. Approved seats aren't the number a campus admits in any given year, but they show roughly how big each cohort can be.

Size doesn't tell you your odds. The BRN doesn't publish acceptance rates for individual schools. Statewide, BSN programs accepted 29.9% of qualified applications in 2024–25 (11,210 of 37,452). Most people apply to several programs, so that's a share of applications, not of applicants. See California nursing school acceptance rates for the full breakdown.

Impaction: what it means for nursing

The CSU calls a program impacted when it gets more eligible applications than it has space for, so the campus can use higher or additional admission criteria (CSU). On the CSU's 2027–28 impaction matrix, “Nursing, Basic” is marked impacted at 16 of the 17 campuses in our table. CSU Northridge is the exception: nursing isn't marked impacted there, although the program still has its own application process.

The same CSU page lists Fullerton, Long Beach, San Diego State and San José State among the campuses where every program is impacted for 2027–28. In practice, impaction usually means campus-specific supplemental criteria, such as GPA points, entrance exam scores and healthcare experience. Some campuses also favor applicants from their local service area. CSU San Marcos, for example, notes in its 2026–27 criteria that it hasn't had space for non-local applicants in the past three cycles (CSUSM).

CSU nursing requirements

There is no single set of CSU nursing requirements. Each impacted campus publishes its own supplemental criteria, and two published examples show how much they differ:

• San Diego State (Fall 2027 transfer admission): a minimum 3.20 cumulative GPA, all 8 prerequisites, and an ATI TEAS score of at least 80.0, with applicants ranked on an 80-point scale (SDSU). Our SDSU nursing acceptance rate article has the full breakdown.
• CSU San Marcos (2026–27): a TEAS minimum of 71.0, worth up to 12 of 68 points, and no space for non-local applicants in the past three cycles (CSUSM).

Always read the campus's current supplemental criteria before you apply. They change from year to year.

Cost: compare carefully

The BRN lists a cost for every program, as reported by the school. For the CSU, the lowest listed figures are at CSU Stanislaus ($22,872-$27,200), CSU Chico ($23,190) and CSU Long Beach ($27,552). The highest are at CSU Channel Islands ($51,000), The Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San Jose State University ($48,768-$50,466) and CSU Northridge ($46,400).

Treat these as rough guides. Campuses report on different bases: some cover the nursing program only, some add books or fees, and none include housing. Each school page on SEAPHE shows what the listed figure covers. For a true comparison, use each campus's cost-of-attendance page and its net price calculator.

Completion: who finishes on time

The BRN also publishes each program's attrition and on-time completion. In 2023–24, the most recent year available, on-time completion at the CSU programs ranged from 74.0% to 100.0%. A low figure in one year can reflect a small or unusual cohort, so check the five-year trend on each school page.

How to use this comparison

• Start local. Some impacted campuses favor applicants from their local area (CSU San Marcos is one). Check each campus's criteria for a local preference.
• Look at five-year pass rates, not one year. Every CSU program clears the state's 75% bar. Differences of a point or two between large programs are small.
• Apply broadly. With BSN programs accepting 29.9% of qualified applications statewide, it's worth also considering community college ADN programs. Our ADN vs. BSN guide compares the two paths, and How to Choose a California BSN Program has a full checklist.
• Check the entrance exam. Requirements vary. San Diego State and CSU San Marcos, for example, both use the ATI TEAS in their published criteria. See TEAS vs. HESI A2.

For one campus in depth, see SDSU nursing acceptance rate: what SDSU publishes.