Santa Rosa Junior College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
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 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Petaluma. Distances are calculated from Petaluma 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 Petaluma. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Napa Valley College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Solano Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
City College of San Francisco
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USD
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $174,550 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $161,920 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $92,580 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $85,881 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $292,410 | CA statewide | $271,252 |
| Nurse Midwife | $203,840 | CA statewide | $189,091 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $167,040 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $154,954 |
| Nursing Assistant | $49,240 | Santa 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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 59,321 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $109,823 | Census 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 County | 10,737 workers, 199 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Petaluma-Area Cities With Nursing Programs
- Rohnert Park, CA – 8.2 mi away (42,622 pop)
- Sonoma, CA – 9.6 mi away (33,923 pop)
- Novato, CA – 11.0 mi away (56,004 pop)
- Santa Rosa, CA – 14.7 mi away (321,699 pop)
- Napa, CA – 18.1 mi away (87,733 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited nursing schools are near Petaluma, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Petaluma. The closest is Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, CA (15.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mt. Diablo Adult Education-Mt. Diablo USD (37.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
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
- 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
Other Programs Available in Petaluma
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Petaluma:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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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.