Becoming an LVN in San Francisco

Last Updated/Verified: Sep 29, 2023

Of the total number of nurses employed in San Francisco, California, LVNs make up approximately 19% of them. LVNs act as the backbone which allow hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and hospice settings to function properly. Without them, the healthcare field would be in a world of dysfunction and hurt. In the coming year, the expected growth rate for LVNs in San Francisco is expected to be around 1.58%. Because the cost of living in San Francisco is so high, LVNs tend to make higher annual salaries than LVNs practicing in different cities around the country.

There are two educational institutions in the city of San Francisco which offer LVN programs to students. Both programs are campus based and include a mixture of in-class, laboratory, and clinical skills instruction. Programs are designed specifically to create exceptionally well-trained LVNs, who upon graduating, are promptly prepared to enter the workforce.

Typical courses that LVN students are expected to pass while enrolled in these programs include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II
Surgical Nursing I & II
Nursing Care Concepts
Pharmacology

Both programs are approved by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.

Schools That Offer LVN Programs in San Francisco, California

Unitek College – South San Francisco

Website: https://www.unitekcollege.edu/programs/vocational-nursing/
Address: 257 Longford Dr #5, South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: 855-811-6191

The LVN program at Unitek College – South San Francisco provides a unique, hands-on, career focused education to students which is supplemented with industry support. The program, which is more than 900 hours, is specifically tailored to jumpstart an individual’s career as an LVN. It combines hands-on training, real world simulations, practice in healthcare facilities as well as traditional education in a classroom setting. The LVN program at Unitek College – South San Francisco seeks to ready its students to dive headfirst into the healthcare industry with the confidence required to succeed.

Admissions Requirements:

Prospective student need to complete the following steps to enroll in the Unitek College Vocational Nursing Program:

Entrance assessment test
Admissions application
Enrollment agreement
Career planning session and admissions interview
Submit proof of high school education or equivalent

City College of San Francisco

Website: https://www.ccsf.edu/en/educational-programs/school-and-departments/school-of-health-and-physical-education/lvn-new-design.html
Address: 1860 Hayes Street, Room 128 San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 561-1912

City College of San Francisco (CCSF) was originally established back in 1935, and is the city’s public two-year community college. Since the college’s original founding, the LVN department has occupied a significant role within the larger college.

The LVN program is a full-time, three-semester, 18-month course consisting of 44.5 unit hours in total. When successfully completed, students are then allowed to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam.

Admission Requirements:

Be at least 17 years old
Possess an official high school diploma or GED equivalent
Complete City College of San Francisco Credit Placement Test in Math and English
Attend a single orientation program at John Adams Center
Have completed Anatomy and Physiology with a grade of C or better from an accredited school by WASC within the last 5 years
Proof of Current CPR card – Basic Life Support (BLS Provider for adults, children and infants)
Pass a physical examination and show proof of immunity to various specified communicable diseases
Successfully complete a criminal background check and toxicology screening

Employment Opportunities for LVNs in San Francisco, California

Students who have successfully completed their LVN certificate programs should not have any problems finding employment in the many different healthcare facilities in the city, including nursing homes, private practice offices, medical clinics, senior living facilities, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals.

The largest healthcare facilities and hospitals in the city of San Francisco which employ significant numbers of LVNs include:

Other smaller healthcare facilities in San Francisco actively hiring LVNs include:

Learn more about California LVN Programs or California LVN Jobs.

San Francisco NCLEX-PN Pass Rates

	San Francisco	California
NCLEX-PN Students Total	752	6,649
NCLEX-PN Students Passed	566	5,229
NCLEX-PN Pass Rate	75.2%	78.6%

Top Ranked LVN Programs in San Francisco

Listed below are the top LVN schools in San Francisco based on our LVN program rankings for CA out of 119 other accredited programs offered in the state: