Best Online Nursing Programs in Petaluma, CA (2026)

Petaluma, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Petaluma has a population of about 59,321. Median household income is $109,823 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 42.9% 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 Petaluma

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing programs near Petaluma, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Petaluma 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 Petaluma. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 27.5 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 61.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 33.3 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 70.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,812
Avg net price $41,431/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Unitek College

Fremont, CA 62.4 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 71.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,550
Avg net price $25,179/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:Accreditor: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts

San Jose, CA 69.5 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 57.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,844
Avg net price $32,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education SchoolsIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Carrington College-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 71.3 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 50.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,633
Avg net price $41,338/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 97.1 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 64.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Feather River Community College District

Quincy, CA 147.8 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 43.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,142
Avg net price $10,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Shasta College

Redding, CA 165.6 miles from Petaluma BOC Score 60.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,269
Avg net price $2,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near Petaluma

Petaluma is part of the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area (BLS area code 42220). 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$174,550Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$161,920
Licensed Practical Nurse$92,580Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$85,881
Nurse Anesthetist$292,410CA statewide$271,252
Nurse Midwife$203,840CA statewide$189,091
Nurse Practitioner$167,040Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$154,954
Nursing Assistant$49,240Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$45,677

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.


Petaluma at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population59,321Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$109,823Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+42.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)107.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Sonoma County10,737 workers, 199 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Petaluma-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Petaluma, CA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Petaluma 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 Petaluma?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Petaluma are: Nurse Anesthetist ($292,410), Nurse Midwife ($203,840), Registered Nurse ($174,550). 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 Rohnert Park instead of Petaluma?

Rohnert Park, CA is 8.2 miles from Petaluma 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 Petaluma an affordable place to study nursing?

Petaluma’s median household income of $109,823 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Petaluma 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 Petaluma

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

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 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.