Best Online Nursing Programs in Hayward, CA (2026)

Hayward, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Hayward has a population of about 159,201. Median household income is $113,775 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $292,410 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Hayward

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Hayward, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hayward city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Hayward. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Unitek College

Hayward, CA 2.8 miles from Hayward BOC Score 53.5
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $87,877
Avg net price $19,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 3

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California nursing page.


Nursing Wages Near Hayward

Hayward is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area (BLS area code 41860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$186,610San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$161,427
Licensed Practical Nurse$94,310San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$81,583
Nurse Anesthetist$292,410CA statewide$252,950
Nurse Midwife$212,630San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$183,936
Nurse Practitioner$219,080San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$189,516
Nursing Assistant$56,080San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$48,512

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.


Hayward at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population159,201Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$113,775Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)115.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Alameda County27,527 workers, 465 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Hayward-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Hayward, CA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Hayward are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Hayward?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Hayward are: Nurse Anesthetist ($292,410), Nurse Practitioner ($219,080), Nurse Midwife ($212,630). 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 Union City instead of Hayward?

Union City, CA is 3.8 miles from Hayward 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 Hayward an affordable place to study nursing?

Hayward’s median household income of $113,775 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hayward 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

Other Programs Available in Hayward

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Hayward:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.