What Is It Known For?
Since its establishment in 1994, CNI College has built a reputation for allied health education in Southern California. The school started in Santa Ana before moving to a City of Orange campus in 1997. Growth brought them full circle. In 2019, they returned to Santa Ana with expanded facilities, more space, and better resources for their students.
The college now serves about 1,015 students each academic year. These students come seeking careers in healthcare fields where demand continues to grow.
Degrees & Certifications
CNI College offers several pathways into healthcare careers. Students can pursue these programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- RN-to-BSN Completion Program
- Master of Science in Nursing MSN
- AOS Magnetic Resonance Imaging (AOS MRI)
- AOS Surgical Technology (AOS ST)
- Vocational Nursing (VN)
Class Schedules
CNI accommodates different learning styles and schedules through online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Many courses meet in the evenings to help working students. The MRI program, for example, schedules theory classes and labs during evenings or weekends.
Healthcare training requires real-world practice. Many programs include clinical externships or practicums where students work in actual medical settings. The MRI program requires a 1,000-hour externship component. These clinical hours happen across mornings, evenings, and weekends based on each site’s availability.
Is It a Good School?
Yes. CNI College operates as a private institution approved by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. The school holds institutional accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
Acceptance Rate
CNI College maintains a 100% acceptance rate.
How Much Does Tuition Cost?
According to the school’s most recent catalog, tuition starts at $11,275 for the RN-to-BSN Degree Completion Program. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing costs $155,450, making it the highest-priced program. These figures cover tuition only. Books, supplies, and other fees add to the total cost. The school provides a net price calculator to help you estimate your actual expenses based on your specific situation.
Programs & Courses
Healthcare
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- RN-to-BSN
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Nursing
- Surgical Technology
Campus Locations
Santa Ana 1610 E Saint Andrew Place, Ste 200 Santa Ana, CA, 92705
Reviews
Based on local Google reviews, CNI College receives praise for its caring, dedicated instructors and personalized support from the owner and staff, but is heavily criticized for administrative disorganization, high tuition costs, and historical struggles with licensure exam pass rates in its nursing programs.
Overall Score: 3.6/5 Stars
Common Praises
Dedicated and Caring Instructors: Instructors, including a highly praised Medical Assisting (MA) professor, are recognized for their passion for teaching, taking time to help students who are struggling, and providing an excellent learning experience.
Personalized Student Support: There are notable mentions of the owner and other staff providing special financial assistance and going out of their way to ensure students can complete their education, reflecting a strong, personalized commitment to individual success.
Successful Career Outcomes: Graduates from the ADN and a Pharmacy Technician program reported success, with one graduate securing a “very good job” and recommending the school for a career.
Helpful Admissions/Enrollment: Some prospective and current students describe the school staff as “very helpful” and accommodating, even working with them to secure transcripts and financial aid before official enrollment.
Common Criticisms
Administrative Disorganization and Unprofessionalism: Multiple students reported a “very disheartening experience” due to the school being “very unorganized and unprofessional.” This includes issues with changing instructors and clinical placements in the vocational nursing program.
Poor Communication (Admissions/Enrollment): One prospective student complained about continuously receiving automated texts and emails to ask questions, but receiving no response when asking about the MRI program tuition.
High Cost and Value Concerns: A review noted the high cost of the Associate’s degree program ($\approx \$70,000$), warning students to be “100% sure” before enrolling, especially given the difficulty of securing jobs with an ADN. The MRI program tuition was recently quoted at $47,500.
Broken Promises (Job Placement): A graduate from the Medical Assistant program stated the school “promise[d] you a job, never did,” though the school owner responded by offering to look into job assistance.
Momentum
The momentum for CNI College is positive on the academic and formal accreditation front, but continues to struggle with administrative communication. The school has demonstrated a commitment to improving its nursing programs by successfully addressing historical NCLEX-PN pass rate issues (a problem that had previously led to provisional approval) and securing a long-term, high-level CCNE accreditation for its BSN program in May 2024. This CCNE accreditation is a significant marker of quality and stability for its higher-level nursing education. However, the most recent negative reviews still focus on a basic failure of administrative follow-up (unanswered emails about tuition), indicating that internal communication and admissions staff consistency remain a high-risk area for prospective students. The high tuition cost of its technical programs (e.g., MRI program) also remains a point of friction, contrasting sharply with the excellent financial assistance offered by the owner in specific cases.