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Best LVN Programs in San Diego 2026

Explore Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) programs in San Diego, California with information on schools, curriculum, tuition, and clinical training. Learn about licensing requirements and career opportunities for vocational nurses in the San Diego area.

Written by Jane Dewy and Edited by The PracticalNursing.org Editorial Team.
Expert Guide Verified updated on May 29th, 2025.
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San Diego California LVN programs providing vocational nursing training and hands-on clinical experience for entry-level healthcare roles
Guide to San Diego LVN Programs
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2026 Best LVN Programs in San Diego, CA

If you are looking to start a career as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in San Diego, finding the right program is key. At practicalnursing.org, we have carefully reviewed and ranked the best LVN programs in the area to help you make a smart choice. Our rankings highlight schools that offer strong training, good support for students, and solid paths to getting your license. We focus on what really matters for your education and future job prospects. You can trust our list to guide you toward a program that fits your needs and goals. Learn more about how we create these rankings at https://www.practicalnursing.org/rankings-methodology/.
#1

MiraCosta College

Oceanside, CA - Public 4-Year - miracosta.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Licensed Vocational Nursing Program

Campus Based - Visit Website

MiraCosta College's Licensed Vocational Nursing Program delivers a robust 1,530-hour curriculum blending classroom instruction with clinical practice, preparing students for California licensure. With a 94% state board exam pass rate, it offers flexible part-time two-year or accelerated 14-month tracks. Graduates access diverse roles in hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes, with estimated annual salaries around $70,000. Prerequisites include body systems, pharmacology, and nursing assistant certification. The program is accredited by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, emphasizing hands-on experience across multiple healthcare settings at approximately $3,500 in total expenses.

  • 1,530 total training hours
  • Part-time and full-time options
  • 94% state board exam pass rate
  • Estimated $70,000 annual salary
  • Accredited by California Board
  • Comprehensive clinical experience
  • Multiple healthcare work settings
  • Approx. $3,500 total program expenses
#2

Southwestern College

Chula Vista, CA - Public 2-Year - swccd.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Vocational Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Southwestern College's campus-based Vocational Nursing Program in Chula Vista equips students for direct patient care roles through a rigorous three-semester curriculum. The program emphasizes hands-on clinical experience alongside lab work, covering essential skills like medication administration and patient communication. Prerequisites include recent coursework in Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Fundamentals of Nutrition. Graduates are prepared to take the NCLEX-PN exam, with admission requiring a TEAS score of 58%, a high school diploma or GED, and active CNA certification. At approximately $7,300, the program offers a focused path to licensure without additional living expenses included.

  • 18-month program length
  • Three semester duration
  • Campus-based instruction
  • Prepares for community nursing
  • Covid-19 vaccination required
  • Background check mandatory
  • Drug screening required
  • Immunization documentation needed
  • Virtual information sessions available
  • Career-focused nursing education
#3

Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista

Chula Vista, CA - Private 2-year - pmi.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Certificate Program

Campus Based - Visit Website

Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista's 12-month Practical Nursing Certificate Program provides intensive, hands-on training for direct patient care roles, focusing on skills like vital sign monitoring, medication administration, and daily living assistance. This campus-based program prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam, enabling licensure as practical nurses in California. With a curriculum blending classroom learning with clinical practice, it offers comprehensive nursing education without requiring entrance exams. Financial aid is available for eligible students, supporting those pursuing careers in healthcare through this efficient, skill-focused pathway.

  • 12-month program duration.
  • On-campus delivery method.
  • Prepares for NCLEX-PN exam.
  • Hands-on patient care training.
  • Financial aid available.
  • Comprehensive nursing education.
  • Eligible for licensure in CA.
  • Skills for direct patient care.
  • Administer medications training.
  • Monitor vital signs skills.
*Based on: NCES IPEDS 2023 data collection. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

San Diego LVN Program Overview

In California, Licensed Vocational Nurses, often called LVNs, are vital members of San Diego care teams. They provide direct bedside care, administer medications under the direction of physicians and registered nurses, monitor patient status, and support care transitions across hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and outpatient clinics. With large academic and federal providers in the city, including UC San Diego Health and the VA San Diego Healthcare System, and a wide network of long-term and community-based settings, LVNs are integral to meeting day-to-day patient care needs across the region.

Employment demand for LVNs remains steady. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow about 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, with aging populations driving hiring in long-term care, home health, and ambulatory services. In San Diego, these settings are prominent alongside acute care hospitals, creating diverse entry-level opportunities for new LVNs.

San Diego LVN programs typically offer full-time pathways that can be completed in about 12 to 18 months. Part-time or evening and weekend tracks, when available, commonly extend to roughly 18 to 24 months. State-approved curricula combine classroom instruction in nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, and medical-surgical care with supervised clinical rotations in local facilities, preparing graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN.

Licensure and program approval are overseen statewide by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Prospective students should confirm a program’s current board approval status and understand BVNPT requirements for licensure by examination, which include successful completion of an approved program and passing the NCLEX-PN.

Employment Opportunities for LVNs in San Diego

The healthcare sector in San Diego County is a robust and expanding field, employing approximately 186,000 workers, which accounts for 12.3% of the region’s overall employment. This sector is considered resilient to economic downturns, ensuring a consistent demand for medical care. For Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), as they are referred to in California, San Diego presents strong career prospects. There are an estimated 6,230 LVNs in San Diego County, with national demand projected to grow by 5% by 2032, indicating a positive job outlook. LVNs in San Diego earn an average hourly wage of $33.72, with an annual mean salary of $70,140. These figures are notably higher than national averages, reflecting San Diego’s competitive healthcare market, with approximately 80% of LVNs in the area earning between $51,550 and $88,750 annually.

Types of Facilities Hiring LVNs in San Diego

LVNs in San Diego are sought after across a diverse range of healthcare settings, including:

  • Nursing homes and residential care facilities, which are among the most common employers and account for a significant portion of positions.
  • Home health agencies, where LVNs provide personalized care and assist with daily living activities in patients’ homes.
  • Hospitals, offering opportunities in various departments, from emergency to maternity wards, where LVNs provide basic medical care under the supervision of Registered Nurses.
  • Outpatient care centers and clinics, including primary care and specialty clinics (e.g., urology, dermatology, neurology, pain clinics), and occupational health.
  • Rehabilitation centers.
  • Senior living facilities and assisted living communities, including skilled nursing positions.
  • Hospice agencies, where LVNs play a crucial role in providing palliative and end-of-life care.
  • Other specialized settings, such as psychiatric and behavioral health facilities, eating disorder residential programs, and plasma donation centers.

Major Healthcare Employers in San Diego

Several prominent healthcare systems and facilities in San Diego are known for hiring LVNs:

  • Sharp Healthcare, San Diego’s largest healthcare system, actively recruits LVNs for various roles in primary care, specialty clinics, and occupational health across multiple locations.
  • Scripps Healthand its clinics are recognized top employers, hiring LVNs for internal medicine, family practice, and float pool positions throughout San Diego.
  • UC San Diego Health, with medical centers in Hillcrest and La Jolla, offers LVN positions in clinics and other healthcare services.
  • Kaiser Permanente, a significant healthcare provider, has nursing career opportunities including LVN roles within its outpatient clinics and other specialties in San Diego.
  • AccentCare, Inc.frequently posts job openings for Home Health and Hospice LVNs in the San Diego area.
  • The San Diego Veterans Hospital, a federal facility, actively seeks full-time Licensed Practical Nurses.

Smaller Facilities and Networks

Smaller facilities and networks also play an important role in hiring LVNs in San Diego. These include:

  • Home Health Agencies:Excell Home Care, Inc., JTC Home Health Inc., Aspire Home Healthcare Inc.
  • Nursing and Senior Living Facilities:Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, Belmont Village, HumanGood, Kearny Mesa Convalescent & Nursing Home.
  • Hospice and Palliative Care:Heritage Hospice, High Care Palliative, MD Care Hospice, Bridge Home Health and Hospice.
  • Specialized Clinics and Centers:Akeso Occupational Health, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego (for Neurology LVN), Chula Vista Comprehensive Treatment Center (LVN Dispensing Nurse), Aurora San Diego (LVN in Behavioral Health), Center For Discovery (Eating Disorder, Residential).
  • Other:BioLife Plasma Services, and The County of San Diego.

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