Regions · Bay Area
How to Get Into Nursing School in the Bay Area
This page covers every open, BRN-approved pre-licensure RN program in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties: how each one selects students, how many students it's approved to enroll each year, and the cost it lists with the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). Use it to build your list, then check each school's own page before you apply.
By the SEAPHE Editorial Team
Data from the California Board of Registered Nursing
Programs in the Bay Area
| Program | Type | Public/private | City | Selection method (school's pages) | Next application window | TEAS minimum | BRN-approved annual enrollment | Listed cost | Points calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabrillo College | ADN | Public | Aptos | Points and lottery (hybrid) | Opens Feb 1, 2027, closes Feb 21, 2027 | TEAS 62; HESI A2 75 | 70 | $9,135.50-$10,285.50Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| Chabot College | ADN | Public | Hayward | Points and lottery (hybrid) | November 1 – January 31 (transcripts November 1 - January 30) | 62% | 100 | $3,772-$3,910Basis: Tuition | calculator |
| City College of San Francisco | ADN | Public | San Francisco | Points and lottery (hybrid) | Not published | 62% | 100 | $3,956-$4,140Basis: Tuition | calculator |
| College of Marin | ADN | Public | Kentfield | Points (ranked) | Opens Nov 1, 2026, closes Feb 1, 2027 | 62% | 52 | $6,847Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| College of San Mateo | ADN | Public | San Mateo | Points (ranked) | Opens Dec 1, 2026, closes Feb 1, 2027 (11:59 PM PST) | Not published | 50 | $15,000Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| Contra Costa College | ADN | Public | San Pablo | Points (ranked) | Opens Dec 1, 2026, closes Feb 1, 2027 (or postmarked by February 1st) | 62% | 48 | $6,464Basis: Tuition + Books | calculator |
| De Anza College | ADN | Public | Cupertino | Lottery | Opens Nov 15, 2026, closes Jan 15, 2027 | Not published | 144 | $6,973Basis: Tuition + Books | — |
| Evergreen Valley College | ADN | Public | San Jose | Points (ranked) | January 15th – End of February | 62% | 80 | $3,956Basis: Tuition | calculator |
| Gavilan College LVN-to-RN only | ADN | Public | Gilroy | Not published | Closed Sep 30, 2026; next not published | Not published | 22 | $8,133Basis: Tuition + Books | calculator |
| Los Medanos College | ADN | Public | Pittsburg | Points (ranked) | Opens Jan 4, 2027, closes Jan 29, 2027 | Not published | 48 | $3,680-$3,818Basis: Tuition | — |
| Merritt College | ADN | Public | Oakland | Lottery | Not published | 62% | 40 | $3,726-$3,772Basis: Tuition | — |
| Mission College LVN-to-RN only | ADN | Public | Santa Clara | Not published | Not published | Not published | 30 | $3,312Basis: Tuition | — |
| Napa Valley College | ADN | Public | Napa | Lottery | Not published | 62% | 40 | $5,500Basis: Total Program | — |
| Ohlone College | ADN | Public | Newark | Points (ranked) | January 15 – February 15 | 62% | 40 | $5,900Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| Pacific Union College | ADN | Private | Angwin | Holistic review | Not published | 60% (Proficient); preference for Advanced 80% or Exemplary 92% | 153 | $67,356Basis: Tuition + Fees | — |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | ADN | Public | Santa Rosa | Lottery | Open now, closes Feb 7, 2027 (5:00pm PST; postmarked on or before) | 62% | 120 | $10,420Basis: Total Program | — |
| Solano Community College | ADN | Public | Fairfield | Lottery | September 1 (annual; 'during the entire month of September every year') – September 30, 11:59 PM PDT | 62% | 48 | $8,000 - $8,500Basis: Total Program | — |
| Unitek College | ADN | Private | Fremont | Could not be retrieved from the school’s website | Not published | Not published | 50 | $55,000Basis: Total Program | — |
| CSU East Bay | BSN | Public | Hayward | Points (ranked) | July 1 (Cal State Apply); August 1 (NursingCAS supplemental) – "CSU Priority Deadline which is typically August 31st" (8:59 p.m. Pacific) | 70% | 128 | $27,976Basis: Tuition + Fees | — |
| Dominican University of California | BSN | Private | San Rafael | Holistic review | Not published – March 1st | Not published | 134 | $207,272Basis: Tuition + Books | — |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, Concord | BSN | Private | Concord | Points (ranked) | Not published – Dec 18, 2026 | 64% composite | 224 | $143,200Basis: Total Program | — |
| Saint Mary's College of California | BSN | Private | Moraga | Holistic review | Not published – Nov 1, 2026 | Not published | 100 | $135,800Basis: Tuition + Fees | — |
| Samuel Merritt University | BSN | Private | Oakland | Holistic review | Closed Oct 1, 2026; next not published | Recommended (not required) from Spring 2027: HESI A2 75%+ in each subject area or TEAS 65%+ in each subject area | 632 | $126,500Basis: Total Program | — |
| San Francisco State University | BSN | Public | San Francisco | Not published by the school | Cal State Apply: October 1; NursingCAS: December 1 – January 18, 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time | 78% | 92 | $34,484Basis: Tuition + Books | — |
| Sonoma State University | BSN | Public | Rohnert Park | Points (ranked) | Not published | 78% | 48 | $34,325-$34,525Basis: Total Program | — |
| San Jose State University (The Valley Foundation School of Nursing) | BSN | Public | San Jose | Points (ranked) | Opens Jan 15, 2027, closes Feb 15, 2027 | 84% | 120 | $48,768-$50,466Basis: Total Program | — |
| Unitek College | BSN | Private | Fremont | Points (ranked) | Not published | 58.7% | 855 | $143,392.50Basis: Total Program | — |
| University of San Francisco | BSN | Private | San Francisco | Holistic review | August 1 ('The application opens in August each year') – November 2 (transcripts due November 4) | Not published | 255 | $226,736Basis: Tuition + Books | — |
| Samuel Merritt University | ELM | Private | Oakland | Holistic review | Not published | Recommended (not required) from Spring 2027: HESI A2 75%+ in each subject area or TEAS 65%+ in each subject area | 144 | $170,676Basis: Total Program | — |
| San Francisco State University | ELM | Public | San Francisco | Not published by the school | Cal State Apply: October 1; NursingCAS: December 15 – February 1, 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time | Not published | 20 | $40,220Basis: Tuition + Books | — |
| University of San Francisco | ELM | Private | San Francisco | Holistic review | Not published – September 1 | Not published | 58 | $144,825Basis: Tuition + Fees | — |
Sources: BRN Pre-Licensure RN Programs list (enrollment, cost, basis; retrieved Oct 7, 2026); selection methods from each school's own pages (checked Oct 9, 2026), as shown on each SEAPHE school page. "Listed cost" is whatever each school reported to the BRN, and the basis varies, so compare like with like (see Cost of RN programs). Approved enrollment is a yearly maximum set by the BRN, not a count of open seats for your cycle.
How programs here choose students
Lottery after a minimum: De Anza College, Merritt College, Napa Valley College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano Community College. Points combined with a lottery: Cabrillo College, Chabot College, City College of San Francisco. The others rank by points, use holistic review or admit by eligibility, or haven't published a method. Each method is explained in How California nursing schools choose students, and the statewide comparison is in Lottery vs. points by region.
Two examples:
- Chabot College (ADN) ranks applicants by a 100-point criterion score, then enters the top third into a random lottery. Use the Chabot calculator.
- Santa Rosa Junior College (ADN) uses a lottery after a minimum, and repetitions within 5 years lower your formula score. Online science courses after Summer 2022 aren't accepted.
Deadlines to know
- Santa Rosa Junior College (ADN): Fall 2027/Spring 2028 single application: opens Oct 2, 2026, closes Feb 7, 2027
- College of San Mateo (ADN): Fall 2027: Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 1, 2027
- San Jose State University (BSN): Fall 2027: Jan 15 to Feb 15, 2027
Sources: each school's page, as listed in the application deadlines calendar (checked Oct 12, 2026). Dates change, so open the school's link before you plan around one.
Labs and recency
Ohlone College requires labs with "no online labs"; City College of San Francisco accepted online labs only for Spring 2020–Summer 2022; San Francisco State University lists an online lab as acceptable (all checked Oct 9, 2026). See the full list in Do California programs accept online labs?
Concurrent ADN-to-BSN option
Los Medanos College runs an ADN-BSN Concurrent Enrollment Program with CSU East Bay, "designed to earn both degrees in just 2.5 years" (checked Oct 13, 2026). See Concurrent ADN-to-BSN programs.
Regional context (older BRN data)
The BRN last published regional admissions figures for 2015–16. That year, programs in its Bay Area region reported 5,895 qualified applications and 2,349 new enrollments (https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/bayarea.pdf, Tables 4 and 5). These figures are ten years old, so treat them as background only. Statewide, there were about 31 seats per 100 qualified applications in 2024–25. See Seats per applicant.
A plan for applicants
- Shortlist by route and method. Mix points and lottery programs if you qualify for both, and include BSN or ELM programs if they fit your plans. See Pick your path.
- Check prerequisites against every school on the list. Use the prerequisite planner.
- Score yourself. Use the points calculators where a rubric is published.
- Put every window on your calendar. See the 9-step RN path.
- Confirm BRN approval. See Is my nursing program BRN-approved?
Common mistakes
- Applying to only one or two programs when the methods and windows differ.
- Taking an online lab before checking whether your target programs accept it.
- Comparing listed costs with different bases.
- Missing a university's separate application (Cal State Apply or the UC application) for BSN programs.
Frequently asked questions
How many nursing programs are in the Bay Area?
SEAPHE counts 31 open BRN-approved pre-licensure RN programs in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties (18 ADN, 10 BSN, 3 ELM).
Which programs here use a lottery?
Lottery after a minimum: De Anza College, Merritt College, Napa Valley College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano Community College. Points plus lottery: Cabrillo College, Chabot College, City College of San Francisco.
Does the BRN publish acceptance rates for these programs?
No. The BRN doesn't publish acceptance rates for individual programs. SEAPHE shows each program's BRN-approved enrollment instead.
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Sources
- BRN Pre-Licensure RN Programs list: https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/rnprograms.shtml (checked 2026-10-07).
- SEAPHE admission records (selection method per school, school URLs on each school page): each school’s own admissions pages, linked on its SEAPHE school page (checked 2026-10-09).
- SEAPHE deadlines calendar (each row links the school’s own page), seaphe.org/nursing-application-deadlines/ (checked 2026-10-12).
- BRN 2015–16 regional report (Bay Area), Tables 4 and 5: https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/bayarea.pdf (checked 2026-10-07).
- BRN 2024–25 Annual School Report (statewide seats per application): https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/prelicensure24-25.pdf (checked 2026-10-07).
Last updated Oct 13, 2026. Figures change every year; check each source for the latest release.