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The average salary for a Registered Nurse (RN) in Bakersfield, California ranges from $48.87 per hour to $58.13 per hour
The RN program at Bakersfield College(BC) is 4 semesters long. There are 4 prerequisite courses which must be completed BEFORE applying to the program. There are also 3 recommended(but not required) classes.
All 4 prerequisite classes must be completed with a minimum of a "C" letter grade. Equivalent courses at a different accredited college are also accepted.
The nursing program at North-West College Bakersfield(NWC) has no waiting list. There are, however, several steps that must be taken prior to being accepted:
NWC's RN program takes 24 months to complete. Graduates then take the NCLEX exam to be licensed as a Registered Nurse in California.
North-West College is currently accepting applicants for both programs.
NWC also has a 24 month RN to BSN program, as well as an LVN to RN program.
The BSN nursing program at Unitek College(UC) takes 3 years to complete. The program is for students who have no nursing experience. But for CURRENT LVNs and RNs, they offer advanced placement. The RN to BSN program takes 1 year to complete, and the LVN to BSN program takes 2 years to complete.
Medical Assisting: Unitek offers a 9 month Medical assistant program. Students will learn to take EKGs, collect and prepare labs, prepare patients for X-rays, and more.
Vocational Nursing: Unitek offers 2 LVN programs at its Bakersfield campus. Their full-time program takes 12 months to complete. Their part-time program takes 17 months to complete.
Cal State Bakersfield's BSN program takes 4 years to complete. The first year is focused on prerequisite courses, which must be completed before moving on to the next year.
First Year Prerequisites:
The BSN program at Cal State Bakersfield has more applicants than available seats. They DO NOT maintain a waiting list, which means that if you're not accepted, you need to reapply.
Once a student is conditionally offered a spot in the nursing program, the student will have to take the TEAS test.
Students must get at least a 62% to be accepted into the RN program. However, if you fail on the first try, you're given a chance to retake the test without losing your spot in the nursing program.
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a crucial pre-entrance exam for many nursing programs in California. It evaluates basic academic skills in reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage. The exam is computer-based and consists of multiple-choice questions, with no calculators allowed. The results are typically available immediately after completing the test, and many nursing programs in California require a minimum composite score of around 62%.
Most schools allow the TEAS exam to be taken twice within a calendar year, with a mandatory 30-day gap between attempts. It's highly recommended to prepare thoroughly using available resources like practice tests, study guides, and prep courses. Achieving a high score on the TEAS can provide a significant advantage in the competitive admissions process for nursing programs.
As of 2022, the TEAS Version 7 is the current version of the test. It's important to check the specific requirements and policies of the nursing programs you're applying to, as they may have different minimum score requirements and testing policies. Proper preparation and understanding of the test format can greatly enhance your chances of success.
LVN Program: BC has a 3 semester LVN program. Prerequisites for this program are:
Nurse Assistant Training Program: This CNA certification program is a 6 unit, 160 hour program. 100 hours will consist of 100 hours of hands-on training, and 60 hours of classwork.
Radiologic Technology program: This is a 2 year program that prepares you to work as a licensed Radiologic Technologist
California Certified Phlebotomy Technician 1(CPT1): this is a 100 hour course. There are 3 other phlebotomy programs in Bakersfield.
Registered Nurses (RNs) in California earn some of the highest salaries in the United States. The average annual salary for an RN in California is approximately $124,000, translating to about $59.62 per hour. This figure places California at the top of the national pay scale for RNs, with salaries ranging from $78,070 at the lower end to $165,620 at the higher end. Factors contributing to these high wages include the state's strong union presence, high cost of living, and the extensive scope of practice allowed for RNs compared to Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) in the state. The average LVN salary in California is $68,597. California ranks fourth out of 50 states nationwide for LVN pay.
The demand for RNs in California is robust, with a projected job growth rate of 16.7% from 2018 to 2028. This demand is fueled by nurse retirements and the increasing healthcare needs of the aging population. Despite the high cost of living, the adjusted average RN salary in California remains competitive at about $111,104 per year. Major metropolitan areas such as San Jose, San Francisco, and Vallejo offer some of the highest salaries, often exceeding $150,000 annually.