PMHNP Programs in California
California has 9 verified PMHNP programs, spanning public CSU options at Fresno and Los Angeles and private schools such as UCSF, Loma Linda, the University of San Diego, the University of San Francisco, Charles R. Drew, Azusa Pacific, and Western University of Health Sciences. They cover MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate routes. California also pays the highest statewide NP wage in the country, about $168,520 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), well above the $132,300 national median, though the state carries among the highest costs of living. California is a restricted-practice state, so nurse practitioners work under physician-developed standardized procedures. Here are the verified programs, the California licensure rules, and what pay looks like.
The short version
California has 9 verified PMHNP programs spanning MSN, BSN-to-DNP, and post-master's certificate routes — the full list is below, generated from our verified dataset.
The public options run through the CSU system: California State University, Fresno (post-master's certificate) and California State University, Los Angeles (MSN). Private programs include UCSF, Loma Linda, the University of San Diego, the University of San Francisco, Charles R. Drew, Azusa Pacific, and Western University of Health Sciences.
California is a restricted-practice state: nurse practitioners practice under physician-developed standardized procedures. That is more restrictive than full- or reduced-practice states.
California pays the highest statewide NP wage in the country, about $168,520 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), but it also has among the highest costs of living, so weigh the premium accordingly.
2020 legislation (AB 890) created a pathway for qualifying NPs to practice with more independence over time, though restricted-practice rules still apply broadly. Many accredited online programs also enroll California residents — see the online PMHNP ranking.
If you are searching for PMHNP programs in California, you have a solid in-state field: 9 verified psychiatric-mental health NP programs, a mix of public and private. The public options run through the CSU system — California State University, Fresno offers a post-master's certificate and California State University, Los Angeles offers an MSN. Private programs add depth: UCSF and the University of San Francisco run BSN-to-DNP routes, Loma Linda offers a BSN-to-DNP as well, and the University of San Diego, Charles R. Drew, and Azusa Pacific offer MSN entry points, while Western University of Health Sciences offers a post-master's certificate. Across the field you can choose an MSN, a BSN-to-DNP, or a post-master's certificate route.
California is also a distinctive market on the two questions that matter most after the school itself: pay and practice rules. It pays the highest statewide NP wage in the country, about $168,520, but it also carries among the highest costs of living, so the headline number stretches less than it looks. And it is a restricted-practice state, meaning nurse practitioners work under physician-developed standardized procedures, although 2020 legislation (AB 890) opened a pathway toward more independent practice for qualifying NPs. The program list below is generated from our verified dataset — where a number is not published, we label it rather than estimate it.
The 9 verified PMHNP programs based in California
California State University, Fresno
Fresno, CA
California State University, Los Angeles (Patricia A. Chin School of Nursing)
Los Angeles, CA
Loma Linda University School of Nursing
Loma Linda, CA
Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona, CA
Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing
Azusa, CA
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing)
Los Angeles, CA
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Accredited online PMHNP programs California residents can do
Most PMHNP study is online. These verified, accredited programs enroll students from most states and let you complete the supervised clinical hours near you. Online programs set their own state authorization, so confirm each one admits California residents before you apply.
California State University, Fresno
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageDrexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 640 clinical hrs
Program pageFairleigh Dickinson University Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health
ACEN-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia Southern University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · BSN-to-DNP · 630 clinical hrs
Program pageGeorgia State University Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageHerzing University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageJohns Hopkins University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 500 clinical hrs
Program pageLa Salle University School of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 692 clinical hrs
Program pageLewis University College of Nursing and Health Sciences
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageNorthern Kentucky University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN · 750 clinical hrs
Program pageRadford University School of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageRocky Mountain University of Health Professions
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate · 540 clinical hrs
Program pageSimmons University
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 756 clinical hrs
Program pageUniversity of Cincinnati College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · post-master's certificate
Program pageUniversity of South Alabama College of Nursing
CCNE-accredited · MSN / post-master's certificate · 600 clinical hrs
Program pageNot open to California residents: Western Governors University. WGU's program page states it does not enroll residents of California, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota, or Washington.
Confirm current state authorization with each program. For the full comparison of these programs, see our online PMHNP ranking.
How to become a PMHNP in California
The path to becoming a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner in California is the same graduate-nursing route used nationwide, with one local variable: your APRN license and prescriptive authority come from the California Board of Nursing. Here are the five steps.
- 01
Earn a BSN and an RN license
Most PMHNP programs admit Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates who hold an active RN license. If you start with an associate degree or a non-nursing bachelor's, bridge programs exist. You'll practice on a California RN license while you complete graduate school.
- 02
Enroll in an accredited PMHNP program
Choose an MSN or a BSN-to-DNP with a PMHNP focus. The degree must hold CCNE or ACEN accreditation, or it won't qualify you for the certification exam. California has 9 verified in-state programs (listed above), and 44 accredited online programs also enroll California residents.
- 03
Complete a minimum of 500 supervised clinical hours
The ANCC requires at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours, and many programs require 600 to 750. Securing local clinical placements is the biggest practical hurdle, so confirm whether a program arranges your preceptors before you enroll.
- 04
Pass the ANCC PMHNP-BC certification exam
The ANCC PMHNP-BC first-time pass rate was 83% in 2024 and 82% in 2025. Either the ANCC exam or the newer AANPCB PMHNP exam qualifies you for state licensure; ANCC's PMHNP-BC is the one most employers list by name.
- 05
Get California APRN licensure and DEA registration
The California Board of Nursing issues your APRN license and prescriptive authority once you're certified, and a federal DEA registration lets you prescribe controlled substances. Practice authority varies by state, so confirm current California requirements with the board before you enroll.
For the full national pathway, including itemized cost, timeline, and program selection advice, see our complete guide on how to become a PMHNP.
California NP licensure and restricted practice
California is a restricted-practice state, which the AANP defines as state law restricting the ability of a nurse practitioner to engage in at least one element of practice, and requiring career-long supervision, delegation, or team management by another health provider for the NP to provide care. In California, that means nurse practitioners practice under physician-developed standardized procedures.
One important wrinkle: 2020 legislation (AB 890) created a pathway for qualifying nurse practitioners to practice with more independence over time, so the environment is evolving even though the default remains restricted. Licensure runs through the California Board of Registered Nursing on top of national certification, and includes furnishing (prescriptive) authority. The clinical credential you earn is the same nationwide; what California adds is the standardized-procedures requirement.
What the state requires
- Active California RN license
- Graduate PMHNP degree from an accredited program
- National PMHNP-BC certification (ANCC)
- NP furnishing (prescriptive) authority and standardized procedures through the California Board of Registered Nursing
- DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances
State board: California Board of Registered Nursing
PMHNP pay in California
The California statewide NP wage is about $168,520 per BLS OEWS state data (May 2025), the highest of any state and well above the $132,300 national NP median. That premium is real, but California also has among the highest costs of living in the country, so weigh the headline wage against rent and taxes where you would actually live.
BLS does not separately publish metro, entry-level, or experienced PMHNP wages for California, so we do not show those tiers rather than estimate them. One structural factor: California restricted-practice rules require physician-developed standardized procedures, which constrains the independent and cash-pay models that lift pay most in full-practice states, though AB 890 is gradually opening more independent pathways. Our PMHNP salary guide details pay by setting and practice model.
The California PMHNP job market
California is a very large market with major metro demand in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego, and Sacramento, and a documented shortage of psychiatric prescribers statewide. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow about 40% from 2024 to 2034 nationally; a California-specific projection is not separately verified here. Restricted practice means you work under physician oversight wherever you practice in-state, though telehealth widens the options. Large systems, community mental health centers, and the VA all hire psychiatric prescribers across the state.
- Community mental health centers and FQHCs in California often qualify for the federal NHSC Loan Repayment Program.
Choosing a PMHNP program from California
With 9 verified in-state programs plus the national online field, California gives you real choice. A few factors matter more than brand:
- Public vs private: the CSU options (California State University, Fresno and California State University, Los Angeles) are the public routes; UCSF, Loma Linda, the University of San Diego, the University of San Francisco, Charles R. Drew, Azusa Pacific, and Western University of Health Sciences are private. Compare cost across both.
- Degree level: decide whether you want an MSN entry point, a BSN-to-DNP (offered at UCSF, the University of San Francisco, and Loma Linda), or a post-master's certificate (offered at California State University, Fresno and Western University of Health Sciences).
- Ask who arranges your clinical placement. School-arranged placement is a major advantage; student-arranged means you secure your own California preceptor.
- Weigh accreditation, total cost, and verified clinical hours, the same factors our rankings score.
- Plan for California standardized procedures when you graduate, and watch the AB 890 independent-practice pathway as it phases in. For accredited online options, compare against the full field in our online PMHNP ranking.
Keep researching
Best Online PMHNP Programs
The full national field of accredited online options.
PMHNP Programs by State
Browse every state's verified programs.
How to Become a PMHNP
The pathway, certification, and clinical-hour requirement.
PMHNP Salary Guide
What psychiatric NPs earn by state, experience, and setting.
Best PMHNP Programs
The flagship ranking across every format.
Questions, answered
How many PMHNP programs are in California?+
Can I do a PMHNP online in California?+
Does California allow nurse practitioners to practice independently?+
How much do PMHNPs make in California?+
What do I need to become a licensed PMHNP in California?+
Program details and figures trace to primary sources; gaps are labeled, not estimated.
- [1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS: Nurse Practitioners (29-1171), national and state wages
- [2] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Practitioners
- [3] AANP, State Practice Environment (California: restricted practice)
- [4] California Board of Registered Nursing