Nursing

Become a Registered Nurse (RN)! The BSN program at CNI College is designed to cultivate well-rounded nursing professionals through a comprehensive pre-licensure curriculum that blends general education and core nursing courses. The curriculum aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials for Baccalaureate Education, Quality and Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN), the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), and the California Board of Registered Nursing guidelines.

The program offers 910 direct care clinical hours in a variety of community hospitals and community-based settings, including the 90 hours required for Public Health Nursing (PHN) certification, through 63 clinical facility partnerships.

Program objectives. Graduates model professional nursing behavior and accountability; optimize critical thinking, clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice; cultivate interprofessional collaboration; use information technology and informatics; develop healthcare education initiatives; integrate ethical, legal and cultural competence; engage in leadership roles; and develop life-long learning goals.

What sets CNI College apart is its holistic approach to nursing education. The institution combines a cutting-edge curriculum with hands-on training, ensuring students are not only academically prepared but also equipped with practical skills crucial for success in the healthcare industry.

Students receive personal laptops. The Skills Lab features three rooms with 10 beds and manikins simulating an acute care setting, and the Simulation Lab offers high-fidelity simulators like the Laerdal Simman 3G and Gaumard Noelle Maternal and Neonatal Birthing Simulator, complete with audio and video recording for debriefing.

CNI College was honored with the “Best of Orange County 2026: Education: Best Career College/Nursing School” award by The Orange County Register for the 4th year in a row.

Admission to the BSN program requires a potential student questionnaire, an initial personal interview and campus tour with an Admissions Advisor, and a $75.00 non-refundable applicant fee. Applicants must pass the TEAS VII with a minimum score of 58.0% (valid for three years) or the HESI A2 with a minimum score of 75.0%; a student scoring less than 75% on the HESI or with a GPA less than 2.0 will be denied admission. Applicants who test at CNI College and fail must wait 30 days to retest and six months before a third attempt.

Transfer credit of up to 49 credits may be applied within the general education and science curriculum, subject to recency and grade requirements; transfer credit is not granted for nursing core courses. LVNs may apply for the LVN 45 Quarter Unit option track.

The full-time program runs 13 quarters of 10 weeks each (130 weeks). Early quarters are mostly online with one on-campus day a week; later quarters add skills labs, simulation and clinical days, generally between 6:30 AM and 7:00 PM. Theory, lab, and clinical activities may be scheduled any day of the week including weekends, with varying start and end times (including evenings and nights), and schedules may vary from quarter to quarter.

Students are required to attend NCLEX-RN review each week during the thirteenth quarter. Students will be notified of their schedule in advance of each quarter’s start. Next start: classes start November 9, 2026 (CNI College homepage).

Cost of the program. The catalog’s estimated schedule of total charges for the entire educational program is $159,899.00:

• Registration fee: $75.00
• Books, supplies, uniforms: $4,890.00
• Technology fees: $5,836.00
• Tuition: $149,098.00

Tuition by pay period. Institutional charges are posted to the student tuition account pay period by pay period; the registration fee, books and supplies for the entire course are assessed in the first payment period. The catalog’s schedule for this program is: pay period 1: $14,703.75, pay period 2: $14,703.75, pay period 3: $16,835.00, pay period 4: $16,835.00, pay period 5: $20,521.28, pay period 6: $20,521.28, pay period 7: $24,041.85, pay period 8: $24,041.85, pay period 9: $3,246.24.

Overtime charges. If a student needs additional time beyond the expected graduation date, CNI College extends a courtesy period of up to three weeks without additional charges; thereafter overtime tuition is charged at $60.61 per hour for the remaining hours.

Books and supplies allowance. For cost-of-attendance budgets the College uses the California Student Aid Commission’s 2026–2027 student expense budget, which allows $1,089 per academic year for books and supplies (tuition, registration fee and other charges are actual institutional charges).

Federal financial aid. CNI College is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to participate in selected Title IV programs, and this program is eligible to participate in USDE Title IV programs. Available aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans. Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov and use federal school code 032423 (Career Networks Institute – CNI College).

Cal Grant. The State of California, through the California Student Aid Commission, sponsors Cal Grant A, B and C for undergraduate students; applicants must file a FAFSA (or Dream Act Application) and a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form by the March 2 or September 2 deadline.

Veterans’ benefits. CNI College is approved for the training of veterans and eligible persons, including Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment) and Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) benefits; contact the College’s School Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office.

Payments. Students are encouraged to make tuition payments electronically through Tuition Options unless alternative arrangements have been approved by the Financial Aid Office. The Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) assessment rate is currently $0.00 per $1,000 of institutional charges.

To practice as a Registered Nurse in California, graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN and obtain licensure through the California Board of Registered Nursing. Completion of the BSN also satisfies the educational requirement for the California Public Health Nurse (PHN) Certificate.

Outcomes (School Performance Fact Sheet, calendar years 2023 & 2024). Job placement rate: 79% (2023) and 78% (2024). License examination (NCLEX-RN) first-attempt passage rate: 91% (2023) and 88% (2024). Completion within 150% of program length: 83% (2023) and 91% (2024); on-time completion: 73% (2023) and 85% (2024). The program’s website reports a 100% NCLEX-RN pass rate for Q4 of 2025.

Class sizes average 40 in theory, 25 online, and 6-10 in clinical settings. CNI College’s nursing faculty of 50 professionals are all registered nurses, and NCLEX preparation is led by a specialized manager and five NCLEX coaches.

Students can join the CNI College California Chapter of the CNSA (National Student Nurses Association), with board roles open from the fifth term of the nursing curriculum, providing extracurricular activities, leadership opportunities and community service projects.