California DNP and BSN to DNP Careers

DNP stands for Doctor of Nursing Practice. Nursing professionals that hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice work in a variety of leadership positions in various health settings. They provide care based on scientific knowledge, which helps them improve safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity in patient-centered care (Duke.edu). Career options range from leadership roles in clinical practice to administration to teaching. Both the DNP and BSN to DNP programs will prepare students for entry into these fields and many others.

Most professionals that hold a BSN or Doctor of Nursing Practice are registered nurses (RNs). Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with RNs leading the way. The U.S. is home to more than 2.7 million registered nurses, with nearly 250,000 practicing in the State of California.  

DNP and BSN to DNP Education and Training Programs

To qualify for admission to a DNP or BSN to DNP program in the State of California, applicant’s must hold a BSN from an accredited, Board-approved school, have a GPA of 3.0 or above, and have current licensure as a registered nurse in the State of California.

Students in both programs may choose a specialty area such as family nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, and many others. In addition to specialty area coursework and clinical study, students will study advanced practice, advanced statistics, epidemiology, health informatics,  leadership and role development, outcomes research and evaluation, and more.

Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice, Appraising Evidence for Clinical Practice, and
Translating Evidence to Clinical Practice are just a few required practice inquiry courses. Please note that course titles may vary by program.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), post-master's DNP study should last a minimum of 12 months (full-time) and post-baccalaureate DNP study should last a minimum of 36 months (full-time).

DNP and BSN to DNP Schools and Training Programs in California

California is home to a number of top universities that offer DNP and BSN to DNP programs. Some of the top schools that offer DNP programs include:

Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA
Brandman University, Irvine, CA
California State University Fresno, Fullerton, Los Angeles, CA
Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
National University, La Jolla, CA
Samuel Merritt College, Oakland, CA
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA

Some of the state’s best BSN to DNP programs include:

Brandman University, Irvine, CA
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

Employment and Earnings Outlook for California DNP and BSN to DNP

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report employment and salary information for RNs that hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice. However, it does offer employment and salary information for RNs along with several fields of interest for RNs that hold a MSN and/or a DNP. Let’s start with RNs.

The State of California is home to 249,980 RNs averaging around $94,120 per year, up from $83,040 in 2008 when the state was home to 240,470 RNs. As stated earlier, California has the nation’s highest employment level for RNs, with the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metro Area leading the pack. Home to 69,540 RNs, this metro area has the 3rd highest employment level for this occupation (among metro areas).

For the 2012-2022 decade, employment for RNs overall is expected to increase by 19% or 526,800 jobs. Currently, the U.S. is home to 2,711,500 registered nurses (RNs), averaging $65,470 per year. In 2008, the nation was home to 2,542,760 RNs averaging $65,130 per year. The top 10% of RNs averaged $94,720 per year in 2012, and the bottom 10% averaged $45,040 per year.

Employment Options for RNs that Hold a MSN and/or a DNP

The U.S. is home 151,400 nurse practitioners, midwives, and anesthetists (called advanced practice registered nurses APRNs) averaging $96,460 per year. This group is expected to grow by 31% between 2012-2022, adding 47,600 new APRNs to the practice.

According to salary estimates from several major job websites, an RN case manager can earn as much as $100,000 per year, a nurse manager-behavioral health can earn $120,000 or more, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) average $96,460 per year.