Best Online Nursing Programs in San Luis Obispo, CA (2026)

San Luis Obispo, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. San Luis Obispo has a population of about 48,039. Median household income is $66,711 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.4% 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 San Luis Obispo

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

#1

Cuesta College

San Luis Obispo, CA 23.3 miles from San Luis Obispo BOC Score 55.2
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,047
Avg net price $12,124/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA metro area (BLS area code 42020). 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$138,820San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$127,827
Licensed Practical Nurse$79,940San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$73,610
Nurse Anesthetist$292,410CA statewide$269,254
Nurse Midwife$203,840CA statewide$187,698
Nurse Practitioner$162,950San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$150,046
Nursing Assistant$46,840San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$43,131

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.


San Luis Obispo at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population48,039Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,711Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in San Luis Obispo County4,595 workers, 107 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other San Luis Obispo-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near San Luis Obispo, CA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near San Luis Obispo are: Nurse Anesthetist ($292,410), Nurse Midwife ($203,840), Nurse Practitioner ($162,950). 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 Arroyo Grande instead of San Luis Obispo?

Arroyo Grande, CA is 10.9 miles from San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo an affordable place to study nursing?

San Luis Obispo’s median household income of $66,711 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for San Luis Obispo:

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.