Best Online Nursing Programs in Walnut Creek, CA (2026)

Walnut Creek, California has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Walnut Creek has a population of about 69,790. Median household income is $135,665 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 69.4% 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 Walnut Creek

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

#1

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 23.4 miles from Walnut Creek 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 23.9 miles from Walnut Creek 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 27.4 miles from Walnut Creek 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 35.4 miles from Walnut Creek 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 57.9 miles from Walnut Creek 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 58.9 miles from Walnut Creek 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

Agape College of Business and Science

Fresno, CA 147.5 miles from Walnut Creek BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 67%
Avg net price $17,755/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Feather River Community College District

Quincy, CA 152.8 miles from Walnut Creek 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

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


Nursing Wages Near Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek 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.


Walnut Creek at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,790Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$135,665Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+69.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)115.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Contra Costa County18,538 workers, 403 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Walnut Creek-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Walnut Creek, CA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Walnut Creek 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 Pleasant Hill instead of Walnut Creek?

Pleasant Hill, CA is 4.1 miles from Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek an affordable place to study nursing?

Walnut Creek’s median household income of $135,665 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek

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

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.