All DNP & PhD Programs in California

California has 24 doctoral nursing programs split between practice-focused DNP degrees and research-focused PhDs; You typiclly found them in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento. UC-affiliated schools have research capacity while private universities concentrate on DNP delivery. Your choice typically depends on career goals: DNP prepares you for advanced clinical practice and healthcare leadership, while PhD develops nurse scientists conducting research and shaping policy.

UC Davis exemplifies both pathways. The DNP-FNP runs three years over 12 quarters, blending asynchronous online coursework with live sessions and four in-person immersion experiences in Sacramento. The school coordinates clinical rotations in California primary care settings ideally near your residence, which can eliminate the stress of finding your own preceptors. For summer 2026 entry, applications receive guaranteed consideration from October 10, 2025 through January 5, 2026, with space-available review continuing through June 1, 2026. UC Davis's PhD in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership uses the same January 5, 2026 priority deadline for fall 2026, with later applications considered as capacity allows.

UCSF provides Bay Area alternatives with similar structures. The BSN-to-DNP Advanced Nursing Focus compresses the timeline to 11 quarters for students entering directly from bachelor's degrees. The program is delivered in hybrid format (both in-person and online). UCSF arranges clinical placements throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, coordinating sites so you're not scrambling for preceptors. Applications for fall 2026 run September 15, 2025 through February 15, 2026 under periodic review, meaning submitted applications are screened in order received rather than all reviewed after a deadline. UCSF's PhD opens its portal September 15, 2025 with a January 5, 2026 deadline for 2026-27 academic year start.

Timeline planning requires understanding application cycles. UC programs cluster deadlines around early January for fall admission, requiring preparation beginning the previous fall. Rolling review at UCSF rewards early submission. BSN-to-DNP and BSN-to-PhD pathways let bachelor's-prepared nurses skip master's degrees, though total timeline extends compared to post-master's entry.

On this page you can compare California's 24 doctoral programs.

Where possible, we include NCLEX pass rates data for each campus. The average pass rates are calculated using the last 3 years of data. The average scores are then used in our annual RN/PN rankings. You can read more about it here. You can also view this year's rankings for California here.

Updated: March 31, 2026