Best LVN Programs in San Francisco 2026
Discover Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) programs in San Francisco, California with details on schools, coursework, tuition, and clinical training. Review licensing requirements and career opportunities for vocational nurses in the San Francisco area.
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2026 Best LVN Programs in San Francisco, CA
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
San Jose, CA - Private 4-year - gurnick.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Vocational Nurse
Campus Based - Visit Website
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts in San Jose delivers a comprehensive Vocational Nurse program that integrates nursing fundamentals with behavioral and physical sciences. Students gain practical skills through hands-on clinical rotations and classroom instruction, preparing them to provide diverse patient care under physician or registered nurse supervision. The program emphasizes real-world experience across multiple California campuses, ensuring graduates are well-equipped for licensure and immediate entry into healthcare roles. As a military-friendly institution, Gurnick offers accessible education pathways without requiring entrance exams for this vocational-level program.
- Vocational Nurse program
- Combines nursing, behavioral science
- Physical sciences principles
- Prepares for diverse patient care
- Under doctor or RN supervision
- Classroom and clinical training
- Multiple California campuses
- Hands-on clinical experiences
- Prepares for licensure
- Comprehensive educational foundation
Madera Community College
Madera, CA - Public 2-Year - maderacollege.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Licensed Vocational Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Madera Community College's Licensed Vocational Nursing program is an intensive 3-semester campus-based curriculum that blends theoretical foundations with extensive hands-on clinical training. Students must complete prerequisites in medical terminology, nutrition, and anatomy & physiology before admission. The program emphasizes safe, caring nursing practices in structured healthcare environments and thoroughly prepares graduates for the LVN licensing exam. Accredited by BVNPT, it features ongoing application acceptance with submission of a complete admission packet.
- 3-semester program.
- Combines theory and clinical skills.
- Prepares for LVN licensing test.
- Prerequisites required.
- Ongoing application acceptance.
- Accredited by BVNPT.
- Focuses on safe nursing practices.
- Hands-on clinical experience.
- Medical terminology prerequisite.
- Nutrition course required.
Los Medanos College
Pittsburg, CA - Public 2-Year - losmedanos.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Vocational Nursing Program
Campus Based - Visit Website
Los Medanos College's Vocational Nursing Program spans three semesters, blending theoretical instruction with hands-on clinical experience to equip students for LVN roles. The curriculum adheres to state guidelines and emphasizes progressive skill development in caring for diverse age groups across healthcare settings. Students learn to work under RN or physician supervision, with a focus on ethical practice and practical competencies. The program's structure supports mastery of nursing knowledge, and detailed prerequisites are outlined in the LVN Applicant Handbook. This campus-based pathway prepares graduates for immediate entry into the nursing field without requiring entrance exams.
- Three semesters to complete.
- Meets state curriculum guidelines.
- Blends theory with clinical experience.
- Prepares for care in various settings.
- Focuses on progressive skill mastery.
- Requires supervision by RNs or physicians.
- Supports college's educational philosophy.
- Detailed prerequisites in handbook.
- Campus-based program.
- Focus on ethical practice.
Mt San Antonio College
Walnut, CA - Public 2-Year - mtsac.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Vocational Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Mt. San Antonio College's Vocational Nursing program in Walnut, CA, equips noncredit adult students for swift entry into healthcare roles, emphasizing readiness for the NCLEX-PN exam and licensure under BVNPT oversight. Students develop practical nursing science skills applicable in hospitals, clinics, and skilled nursing facilities, fostering a diverse and supportive learning atmosphere. The program mandates passing core courses and focuses on immediate job placement, while also providing pathways for future career advancement in health fields, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for vocational nursing demands in California.
- Prepares for NCLEX-PN examination.
- Regulated by BVNPT.
- Focuses on nursing science.
- Supports diverse student groups.
- Leads to vocational nurse licensure.
- Employment in various health settings.
- Noncredit program for adult students.
- Emphasizes immediate employment readiness.
- Requires passing core courses.
- Offers future health career ladders.
City College of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA - Public 2-Year - ccsf.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Licensed Vocational Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
City College of San Francisco's LVN program is an intensive 18-month full-time pathway to vocational nursing licensure. Students complete 40.5 units through a blend of classroom learning and direct hospital clinical rotations, building competencies for diverse healthcare environments like hospitals, clinics, and home care. The program holds accreditation from the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, ensuring graduates meet state standards for the NCLEX-PN exam. Support services include financial aid options and academic counseling to help students succeed. This certificate program emphasizes practical skills and theoretical knowledge, preparing learners for immediate entry into the nursing workforce upon completion.
- 18-month full-time program.
- Accredited by California Board.
- Eligible for state licensure exam.
- Hands-on hospital experience.
- 40.5 units of college credit.
- Prepares for various healthcare settings.
- Financial aid available.
- Counseling services offered.
- Classroom and lab instruction.
- Comprehensive nursing curriculum.
San Francisco LVN Program Overview
Licensed Vocational Nurses play a vital role in San Francisco’s healthcare system by delivering direct bedside care, administering medications, supporting chronic disease management, and coordinating with registered nurses and physicians across hospital units, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and home health. In a city with major academic and safety net providers, LVNs help sustain access to essential nursing services for diverse patient populations.
San Francisco’s care landscape includes large employers and practice settings where LVNs commonly work: the public system operated by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center and Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center; academic medicine through UCSF Health; private and integrated systems such as Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente San Francisco; the San Francisco VA Health Care System; numerous community clinics; home health agencies; and long term care and rehabilitation centers. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses to grow over the 2022 to 2032 decade, reflecting continued demand in long term care, outpatient services, and home health. While local hiring needs fluctuate by employer and setting, the breadth of facilities in San Francisco sustains steady opportunities for LVNs.
LVN programs serving San Francisco are approved in California and designed to meet state training standards. The California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians sets a minimum of 1,530 total training hours for vocational nursing education, combining classroom theory with supervised clinical practice. Full time programs commonly run about 12 to 18 months, while part time, evening, or weekend options can extend to roughly 18 to 24 months, depending on the school’s schedule and clinical placement availability.
Curricula emphasize patient safety, pharmacology, medical surgical nursing, gerontology, maternal child health, and mental health, with clinical rotations in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and community based sites in and around San Francisco. Programs prepare graduates to take the NCLEX PN and to meet California licensure requirements. The California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians oversees program approval, licensure, and eligibility for examination; prospective students should verify that a program is board approved and review current application, background check, and testing requirements before enrolling.
Employment Opportunities for LVNs in San Francisco
Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) in California, known as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) elsewhere, play a vital role in San Francisco’s dynamic healthcare sector. The employment outlook for LVNs in the city and the broader Bay Area is strong and continues to grow. Between April 2023 and April 2024, the healthcare and social assistance industry in the San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City Metropolitan Division saw an addition of 4,300 jobs, driven by an aging population and increased access to health insurance and preventive care. This growth trend is consistent with statewide projections.
Statewide projections from the California Employment Development Department indicate a 10.1% increase in LVN jobs from 2020 to 2030, an addition of 7,700 jobs. This translates to an average of 3,360 job openings annually due to growth and separations. San Francisco is recognized among the top-paying metropolitan areas in California for LVNs. As of May 2023, the average annual salary for an LVN in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metropolitan area is $79,810, or $38.37 per hour. Annual salaries typically range from $64,300 (25th percentile) to $92,720 (75th percentile), with top earners in the 90th percentile making around $106,300 annually.
LVNs in San Francisco find employment across a diverse range of healthcare settings, providing essential patient care. These include:
- Hospitals:Major employers for LVNs, with facilities like Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, which is part of the San Francisco Health Network. Kaiser Permanente also lists LVN positions in its San Francisco facilities.
- Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities:These long-term care environments are among the most common employers for LVNs, who provide direct patient care and support for residents.
- Home Health Agencies:Numerous opportunities exist for LVNs in home health, providing in-home nursing care for patients. Agencies such as Amedisys and Aveanna Healthcare actively recruit for positions in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area.
- Private Practices and Clinics:LVNs are hired in private practices and clinics, including specialized clinics focusing on areas like male fertility and sexual health, or those dispensing medication for substance use disorders. The San Francisco Health Network also operates over 15 primary care health centers.
- Rehabilitation Centers:LVNs work in rehabilitation settings, including Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, which is another key facility within the San Francisco Health Network.
- Senior Living Facilities:Memory care communities and assisted living facilities in and around San Francisco actively hire LVNs to assist residents with daily living activities and provide necessary medical care.
- Behavioral Health and Other Specialized Settings:Roles include Licensed Psychiatric Technicians (LPTs) and LVNs in behavioral health programs and as Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Dispensing Nurses.
Several prominent healthcare organizations are known for hiring LVNs in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Kaiser Permanente:One of the largest not for profit health plans, with a significant presence throughout the Bay Area.
- University of California San Francisco (UCSF):UCSF employs LVNs in various medical settings, including hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, and home care.
- San Francisco Health Network (part of the San Francisco Department of Public Health):This network encompasses Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and numerous primary care health centers, all of which hire LVNs.
- CommonSpirit Health / Dignity Health:These systems are major healthcare providers, with Dignity Health being one of the nation’s largest, and CommonSpirit Health lists LVN positions.
- Sutter Health:A large not for profit healthcare system in the Bay Area, though current public job listings may predominantly feature Registered Nurse roles, it remains a significant employer in the region.
- John Muir Health:Located east of San Francisco, this system serves Contra Costa, Alameda, and southern Solano Counties, including acute care facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and various outpatient services.
- Home Health Agencies:Companies such as Aveanna Healthcare, American CareQuest, Inc., and 21st Century Home Health Services Inc. are active in hiring home health LVNs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Other Noteworthy Employers:Crestwood Behavioral Health, Felton Institute, Front Porch Communities and Services, The Turek Clinic, and BAART Programs also feature job postings for LVNs in various specialized or long-term care roles. Molina Healthcare also seeks LVNs for Field Care Manager positions related to Long Term Services & Supports (LTSS).
List of LVN Programs in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
City College of San Francisco
- Certificate/Diploma - Licensed Vocational Nursing
Campus Based - Website
- 18-month full-time program.
- Accredited by California Board.
- Eligible for state licensure exam.
- Hands-on hospital experience.
- 40.5 units of college credit.
- Prepares for various healthcare settings.
- Financial aid available.
- Counseling services offered.
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