Saddleback College
Published tuition$1,432 - $13,732
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Dana Point, CA (2026)
Dana Point, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $1,432 to $13,732 per year for indexed programs. Dana Point has a population of about 32,883. Median household income is $127,246 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 57.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $282,930 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Dana Point
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Dana Point. Distances are calculated from Dana Point city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Dana Point. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of Massachusetts Global
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Stanbridge University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Pacific College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Vanguard University of Southern California
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California nursing page.
Nursing Wages Near Dana Point
Dana Point is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $135,560 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $119,331 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $79,310 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $69,815 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $282,930 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $249,058 |
| Nurse Midwife | $202,850 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $178,565 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $161,470 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $142,139 |
| Nursing Assistant | $47,380 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $41,708 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Dana Point at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,883 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $127,246 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 57.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 113.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Nursing-related employment in Orange County | 63,561 workers, 1,084 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Dana Point-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- San Juan Capistrano, CA – 3.1 mi away (36,276 pop)
- Laguna Niguel, CA – 3.8 mi away (65,328 pop)
- San Clemente, CA – 5.2 mi away (65,309 pop)
- Laguna Beach, CA – 6.2 mi away (23,190 pop)
- Aliso Viejo, CA – 7.5 mi away (51,424 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Dana Point, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Dana Point. The closest is Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA (5.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Vanguard University of Southern California (17.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Dana Point?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Dana Point are: Nurse Anesthetist ($282,930), Nurse Midwife ($202,850), Nurse Practitioner ($161,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in San Juan Capistrano instead of Dana Point?
San Juan Capistrano, CA is 3.1 miles from Dana Point and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Dana Point an affordable place to study nursing?
Dana Point’s median household income of $127,246 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Dana Point while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in California
- Nursing programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.