Nursing: Registered Nursing (LVN to RN) (Associate in Science)
Allan Hancock College · Santa Maria, CA
- Cost
- $3,324
- Length
- 34 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 83%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 191
- Finished the program
- 92%Based on 53 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 83%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $21,292A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The job this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Where California publishes a separate figure for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Registered Nurses
Job ads may call this: Staff Nurse · Charge Nurse · School Nurse · Relief Charge Nurse
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
- Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
- Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
What this pays in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) | $104,095 | $141,205 | $173,978 |
| Across California | $104,095 | $144,197 | $219,291 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA (Santa Barbara County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $144,197per yearSanta Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: $137,097
- Projected openings
- 228,840Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 2,020
- Projected change
- +13.5%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 54% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 31% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 0.5%
- High school diploma
- 1%
- Started college, no degree
- 4%
- Two-year degree
- 26%
- Four-year degree
- 54%
- Master's degree
- 12%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 3%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Program details
This program provides in-person instruction only.
The LVN to RN program, fully accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing, is a two-semester program offered every year starting spring semester. The LVN to RN program is specifically designed to provide the licensed vocational nurse (LVN) with an opportunity for career advancement and prepare the LVN for the additional responsibilities required of the registered nurse. Eligibility requirements to apply for the LVN to RN program include completion of program prerequisites, having a current California LVN license OR recent completion of an accredited vocational nursing program and eligibility to take the National Council Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), and entrance criteria. Students who recently completed an accredited vocational nursing program must have a California LVN license by the end of the spring (first semester) to be able to complete the LVN-to-RN program. Continuation in the program is contingent upon passing the NCLEX-PN. Students who have LVN license must maintain current licensure throughout the LVN-to-RN program. The LVN-to-RN program entrance criteria include grade point average (GPA), a maximum of four (4) science repeats, and an acceptable score on a readiness examination. The LVN-to-RN program prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better. These courses are BIOL 124, BIOL 125, BIOL 128, PSY 101, MATH 331, and ENGL 101. In addition, the student must complete the colleges graduation requirements for an associate degree. The graduate of the LVN-to-RN program is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
America`s Job Center of California Workforce Resource CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 805-614-1550
1410 South BroadwaySuite ESanta Maria, CA 93454about 11.8 miles away
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Has a veterans' representative
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →