Best Nursing Schools Near South Lake Tahoe, CA (2026)

South Lake Tahoe, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. South Lake Tahoe has a population of about 21,319. Median household income is $73,940 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.0% 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 South Lake Tahoe

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Chamberlain University-California

Rancho Cordova, CA 73.7 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
67.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,405
Avg net price $36,559/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Carrington College-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 79.4 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.0 BOC Score
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: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 82.0 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,876
Avg net price $9,338/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,018
Out‑of‑state$20,618
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Feather River Community College District

Quincy, CA 87.7 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.0 BOC Score
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: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 97.7 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 99.1 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 105.0 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.3 BOC Score
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: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 108.5 miles from South Lake Tahoe
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe is part of the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area (BLS area code 40900). 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 $171,460 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $160,694
Licensed Practical Nurse $81,570 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $76,448
Nurse Anesthetist $292,410 CA statewide $274,049
Nurse Midwife $191,220 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $179,213
Nurse Practitioner $172,010 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $161,209
Nursing Assistant $47,510 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $44,527

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.


South Lake Tahoe at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,319 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $73,940 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 34.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 106.7 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other South Lake Tahoe-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near South Lake Tahoe, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near South Lake Tahoe. The closest is Western Nevada College in Carson City, NV (19.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Sierra College (66.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near South Lake Tahoe?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near South Lake Tahoe are: Nurse Anesthetist ($292,410), Nurse Midwife ($191,220), Nurse Practitioner ($172,010). 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 Carson City instead of South Lake Tahoe?

Carson City, NV is 19.3 miles from South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe an affordable place to study nursing?

South Lake Tahoe’s median household income of $73,940 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in South Lake Tahoe 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 South Lake Tahoe

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for South Lake Tahoe:

Data verified: September 6, 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.