Step 1: Pick your path

There’s more than one way to become an RN in California. Every path below ends with the same NCLEX-RN exam and the same California RN license. The difference is how long it takes, what it costs, and what you need before you start.

What to do

Look at where you are now and pick the path that fits.

• ADN (associate degree in nursing). Offered by community colleges and some private schools. On average it’s the shortest generic path (see the table below). You can earn a bachelor’s degree later if you want one.
• BSN (bachelor of science in nursing). A four-year degree at a CSU, UC or private university. Fits you if you’re starting college or transferring with your general education done.
• Accelerated BSN (ABSN). For people who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field. You finish a BSN in less time.
• Entry-level master’s (ELM). Also for people with a bachelor’s in another field. You earn a master’s degree and become eligible for the RN exam.

California programs by the numbers

The BRN’s approved-program list, as SEAPHE last read it, has 162 active pre-licensure RN programs (BRN program list, fetched Oct 13, 2026). In the BRN’s 2024–25 pass-rate year, first-time NCLEX-RN testers by program type were:

These are statewide totals from the BRN’s pass-rate tables, not a guide to any one school. Every path can lead to the same license.

How long it takes

Time for full-time students to finish the nursing program, as reported by California program directors for 2024–25:

ADN and BSN figures are averages across programs. The BRN asked ELM directors for a minimum and a maximum instead, so the ELM figure is a range. Prerequisites usually come before this and aren’t counted.

Typical costs

Costs vary a lot by school and sector. Some published examples for accelerated BSN programs (each school’s own page, checked Oct 12, 2026):

• CSU San Marcos: $47,570 for 67 units (not all university fees included)
• Cal State LA: about $46,515, including estimated non-tuition costs
• Samuel Merritt University: $109,200 all-inclusive (2026–27)

For ADN, BSN and ELM programs: Varies; check with the school. Each SEAPHE program page shows the cost the school publishes, when it publishes one.

Two school examples

These are the first ADN and BSN programs, alphabetically, in SEAPHE’s verified data that publish both a total cost and a program length. They show how differently schools describe the same things.

• American Career College (ADN, private). Lists $92,472 in estimated total charges for students enrolling on or after Dec. 1, 2025: tuition $81,275, fees $9,500, books and supplies $1,637 and a $60 application fee. Program length: 20 months, in eight 10-week quarters (school catalog, checked Oct 9, 2026).
• American University of Health Sciences (BSN, private). Its 2026–27 catalog lists $116,683 total tuition for the BS in Nursing (151 units) plus $6,870 in program fees, and 10 quarters of study (13 with prerequisites) (2026–27 catalog, checked Oct 9, 2026).

One lists months, the other quarters. One includes books, the other lists them separately. When you compare, put each school’s figures into the same terms.

Common mistakes

• Comparing tuition only. Fees, books, uniforms and clinical onboarding can add up. Ask each school for the full cost in writing.
• Mixing up program length and total time. Prerequisites and waitlists can come before the nursing program starts.
• Assuming one path is the only route. ADN, BSN and ELM graduates all take the same NCLEX-RN.
• Skipping the ABSN or ELM if you already have a degree. If you hold a bachelor’s in another field, both are worth a look.

Your SEAPHE tool

• Program finder: filter programs by degree type and region.
• ADN vs. BSN in California
• Entry-level master’s (ELM) programs

Next step: Step 2, Find approved programs.