Regions · Sacramento
How to Get Into Nursing School in Sacramento
This page covers every open, BRN-approved pre-licensure RN program in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba 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 Sacramento
| Program | Type | Public/private | City | Selection method (school's pages) | Next application window | TEAS minimum | BRN-approved annual enrollment | Listed cost | Points calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American River College | ADN | Public | Sacramento | Points and lottery (hybrid) | Closed Oct 5, 2026; next not published | 62% | 90 | $3,588-$3,772 + startup program costs of $6,500Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| Carrington College Sacramento LVN-to-RN only | ADN | Private | Sacramento | Not published | Not published | Not published | 72 | $47,350Basis: Total Program | — |
| Sacramento City College | ADN | Public | Sacramento | Points and lottery (hybrid) | Opens Feb 1, 2027, closes Feb 28, 2027 | 62% | 130 | $7,274-$7,688Basis: Tuition + Books | calculator |
| Sierra College | ADN | Public | Rocklin | Points and lottery (hybrid) | February 1 – 4pm on Feb. 28 (or the last business day prior) | 62% | 40 | $5,244-$6,266Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| Weimar University | ADN | Private | Weimar | Holistic review | Not published | Not published | 20 | $101,000 (including room and board)Basis: Total Program | — |
| Yuba College | ADN | Public | Marysville | Points (ranked) | Not published | 70% | 60 | $6,470.03Basis: Total Program | calculator |
| CSU Sacramento | BSN | Public | Sacramento | Points (ranked) | September 1 (supplemental nursing application); July 1 (Cal State Apply) – October 1 (supplemental; TEAS by same date); September 15 (Cal State Apply) | 75% | 160 | $36,416Basis: Tuition + Fees | — |
| California Northstate University | BSN | Private | Rancho Cordova | Holistic review | Open now, closes Oct 24, 2026 (11:59 PM PT) | 65% composite (catalog: 'recommended minimum'; TEAS page: 'must be achieved') | 90 | $164,113Basis: Total Program | — |
| Chamberlain University, Rancho Cordova | BSN | Private | Rancho Cordova | Holistic review | Not published | Not published | 240 | $101,653Basis: Total Program | — |
| William Jessup University | BSN | Private | Rocklin | Points (ranked) | May 1 – August 1 | 75% | 60 | $144,000Basis: Total Program | — |
| UC Davis | ELM | Public | Sacramento | Holistic review | Open now, closes Nov 1, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET) | Not published | 48 | $121,536Basis: Total Program | — |
| University of the Pacific | ELM | Private | Sacramento | Holistic review | Opens Nov 1, 2026, closes Mar 1, 2027 (priority deadline 2027-01-05) | Not published | 120 | $126,890Basis: 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
Points combined with a lottery: American River College, Sacramento City College, Sierra College. No program in this area publishes a lottery-only method in our records. 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:
- American River College (ADN) uses a published 100-point form that includes science GPA (up to 30 points) and the ATI TEAS (up to 30 points), and combines points with a lottery. Use the ARC calculator.
- Sacramento City College (ADN) takes a single application for both Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 entry. Use the Sacramento City College calculator.
Deadlines to know
- Sacramento City College (ADN): Fall 2027 & Spring 2028 single application: Feb 1 to Feb 28, 2027
- American River College (ADN): Spring 2027 window ran Sep 1 to Oct 5, 2026; the Fall 2027 window opens in February
- University of the Pacific (ELM): Fall 2027: Nov 1, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027 (priority Jan 5, 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
Sacramento State lists science labs taken "in-class, virtual or online" as acceptable, with no recency requirement stated; Sierra College sets a 7-year recency limit; William Jessup University does not accept online labs (all checked Oct 9, 2026). See the full list in Do California programs accept online labs?
Regional context (older BRN data)
The BRN last published regional admissions figures for 2015–16. That year, programs in its Greater Sacramento region reported 1,269 qualified applications and 563 new enrollments (https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/greatersacramento.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 Sacramento?
SEAPHE counts 12 open BRN-approved pre-licensure RN programs in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties (6 ADN, 4 BSN, 2 ELM).
Which programs here use a lottery?
None publishes a lottery-only method in our records. Points plus lottery: American River College, Sacramento City College, Sierra College.
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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Online lab, recency and repeat rules for anatomy, physiology and microbiology, school by school.
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Every open BRN-approved RN program in the Bay Area, with selection method, approved enrollment and listed cost.
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Every open BRN-approved RN program in Orange County, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
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Every open BRN-approved RN program in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, with selection method, enrollment and cost.
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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 (Greater Sacramento), Tables 4 and 5: https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/greatersacramento.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.