Riverside City College

Riverside City College (RCC) in Riverside, California is a public community college with nursing options that include an LPN program, an ADN (RN) program, and an LPN to ADN pathway through advanced placement for vocational nurses. The ADN is listed at 71 units with a typical two-year sequence, while the vocational nursing curriculum runs about 49.5 to 54.5 units and is structured as a one-year program, depending on the pathway.

The School of Nursing uses a set of entry and compliance requirements that are common to most clinical partners, including a Social Security number or ITIN, government-issued photo ID, American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR, background check and drug screen, and up-to-date immunizations and physical exam documentation. For RN applicants, RCC references ATI TEAS (TEAS 7) as part of the process, and selection is based on multi-criteria ranking rather than a wait list.

Budgeting is more than just tuition. RCC lists tuition at $46 per unit each semester, plus typical semester fees such as Health Services ($25), Student Services ($30), and parking ($150). For the RN program, RCC estimates around $7,500 across four semesters plus an intersession, and also notes added costs like uniforms (about $250), books and required learning resources (about $2,500 across two years), background check and CPR (about $220), and a standardized testing package (estimated $2,075). For vocational nursing, RCC estimates about $3,550 for 12 months plus items such as uniforms (about $250), supplies and technology (about $600 for the year), and an ATI PN Supreme package (estimated $1,650).

On campus, RCC operates a nursing simulation laboratory accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) Accreditation Committee. The associate nursing program is accredited by ACEN and reported as continuing accreditation.

Outcomes data is a practical checkpoint: RCC’s average weighted NCLEX-RN pass rate is 97.2%, above the 2024 California state RN average of 92.7%. Its average weighted NCLEX-PN pass rate is 99.3%, compared with the 2024 California state PN average of 83.8%. The program pages also show recent first-time pass rates in the high 90s, including 98.8% NCLEX-RN (2023 to 2024) and 97% NCLEX-PN (2024).