Find Trade Colleges

Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California

2023 Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

22 Colleges
$1,352 Avg Tuition & Fees*

Finding the Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate School for You

Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants is one of the most popular subjects to study in California. With 8,037 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022, it ranked 3rd out of all the majors we track in the state.

It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country.

The Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 22 schools in California to see which ones offered the best value basic certificate programs for practical nursing students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

Top 10 Best Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools

#1

Butte College

Oroville, CA

Our analysis found Butte College to be the best value school for practical nursing & nursing assistants students who want to pursue a basic certificate in California. Located in the rural area of Oroville, Butte College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Butte College are $1,336 per year.

In addition to its great value ranking, Butte College is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Trade Schools in California list.

Read More…

Request Information
#2

Merced College

Merced, CA

The excellent basic certificate programs at Merced College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value practical nursing & nursing assistants schools in California. Located in the city of Merced, Merced Community College District is a public college with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Merced Community College District are $1,194 a year.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Merced Community College District is ranked #3 for overall quality for practical nursing in California.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Merced College

Request Information
#3

College of the Sequoias

Visalia, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend College of the Sequoias. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California list. Located in the midsize city of Visalia, College of the Sequoias is a public school with a fairly large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at College of the Sequoias are $1,394 per year.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at College of the Sequoias

Request Information
#4

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Santa Rosa Junior College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California list. Located in the city of Santa Rosa, SRJC is a public school with a large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at SRJC are $1,318 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SRJC also is in the top 10% of our Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Trade Schools in California ranking.

Read More…

Request Information
#5

Cuesta College

San Luis Obispo, CA

Out of the 22 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Cuesta College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Cuesta College undergraduate students pay an average of $1,340 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

Cuesta College also made our Best Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Trade Schools in California list, coming in at #5.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Cuesta College

Request Information
#6

Riverside City College

Riverside, CA

With a ranking of #6, Riverside City College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for practical nursing & nursing assistants students working on their basic certificate. Riverside City College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Riverside.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Riverside City College are $1,420 a year.

Read More…

Request Information
#7

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA

Modesto Junior College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for practical nursing & nursing assistants students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. MJC is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Modesto.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at MJC are $1,276 a year.

Read More…

Request Information
#8

American River College

Sacramento, CA

American River College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California list. American River is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Sacramento.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at American River College

Request Information
#9

Bakersfield College

Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California ranking. Bakersfield College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Bakersfield.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Bakersfield College are $1,430 per year.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Bakersfield College

Request Information
#10

Reedley College

Reedley, CA

Reedley College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing & Nursing Assistants Basic Certificate Schools in California ranking. Located in the town of Reedley, Reedley College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Reedley College undergraduate students pay an average of $1,330 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants at Reedley College

Request Information

Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Value Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 649
Oregon 409
Nevada 622
Alaska 22
Hawaii 96

One of 11 majors within the trade school area of study, practical nursing & nursing assistants has other similar majors worth exploring.

Practical Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training 45,031
Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide 35,655
Other Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants 4,653

Majors Similar to Practical Nursing

Related Major Annual Graduates
Health & Medical Administrative Services 88,600
Allied Health Professions 83,905
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 83,587
Health Sciences & Services 36,762
Mental & Social Health Services 30,331

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 22 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Find Trade Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited trade schools across the U.S.