| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, for-profit university; campus programs with some online and blended courses, plus two fully online nursing degrees |
| Campuses | 4, all in Southern California: Irvine (main), Alhambra, Riverside and San Marcos |
| Credentials | Associate (AOS, AS), bachelor’s (BSN) and master’s (MSOT, MSN) |
| Typical length | About 17 months (full-time vocational nursing) to about 3 years (BSN) |
| Accreditation | ACCSC (institutional); approved by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) |
| Federal aid | Yes (FAFSA code 038893); Cal Grant; GI Bill |
| 2026 program totals | $19,995 (online MSN) to $155,995 (BSN), the same at every campus |
| Students | 3,396 enrolled during 2024 (BPPE) |
| Founded | 1996, as Executive 2000; Stanbridge College from 2004 and Stanbridge University from January 2017 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Stanbridge University: nursing and therapy degrees in Southern California
Stanbridge University is a private, for-profit school with four campuses in Southern California. It opened in 1996 as Executive 2000, which started in information technology, became Stanbridge College in 2004 and Stanbridge University in January 2017. Today it teaches only nursing and therapy programs; there are no technology programs.
Its programs run from a vocational nursing associate degree to an entry-level master’s in occupational therapy, and two nursing degrees are fully online. Each program in the 2026 tuition chart has a single price that is the same at every campus, and most programs are full-time daytime cohorts with clinicals or fieldwork at facilities the school arranges. Its associate nursing degree (ADN) ended in January 2023, when the BSN replaced it. BPPE counted 3,396 students enrolled during 2024, most of them in associate and bachelor’s programs.
Programs and 2026 prices
| Program | Credential | Length | Delivery | Where | Prepares for | 2026 total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vocational Nursing | Associate of Occupational Science | About 17-19 months full-time; 26-28 months part-time | On campus; part-time track on weekday evenings and weekends | Irvine, Alhambra, Riverside, San Marcos | NCLEX-PN (California LVN) | $42,995 |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | BSN (prelicensure), 180 quarter credits | About 36-37 months full-time | On campus, online and blended courses; labs on campus | Irvine, Alhambra, Riverside (San Marcos pending BRN approval) | NCLEX-RN | $155,995 |
| RN-to-BSN Online Degree Completion | BSN | About 23-24 months | 100% online | Online | None (for licensed RNs) | Not in the 2026 tuition chart |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | Associate of Occupational Science | About 22-23 months | Full-time weekdays; partly online | Irvine, Alhambra | NBCOT COTA | $59,995 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Associate of Science | About 20-21 months | Full-time weekdays | Irvine, Alhambra | NPTE for PTAs | $59,995 |
| Occupational Therapy | Master of Science (MSOT), entry-level | About 26-27 months | Full-time cohort, 2-4 days a week on campus | Irvine, Alhambra, Riverside | NBCOT OTR | $109,955 |
| Nursing Education | Master of Science in Nursing (MSN-Ed) | About 13-14 months | 100% online | Online | None | $19,995 |
All the licensure programs carry programmatic approval or accreditation: CCNE and the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) for the BSN, the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) for vocational nursing at all four campuses, ACOTE for the OTA degree (through 2028/2029) and the MSOT, and CAPTE for the PTA degree, according to the school’s accreditation page and program pages. The school states no programmatic accreditation for the online MSN.
What the main programs cover
Vocational Nursing
The vocational nursing degree is 106.5 quarter credits and includes 480 clinical hours, in 8- or 12-hour shifts at partner facilities the school arranges. Full-time students attend classes one to four days a week from about 7 AM, with some weekend clinicals. The part-time track meets on weekday evenings from 6 PM, with labs and clinicals at weekends. Applicants must be at least 17, reach minimum ACCUPLACER scores (Reading 232, Arithmetic 212, with up to three attempts) and pass a scored interview, after which they are ranked; a background check, immunizations and a drug screen follow.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The prelicensure BSN is 180 quarter credits, about 36 to 37 months of full-time study, and leads to the NCLEX-RN. Courses are taught on campus, online or blended, and skills labs are on campus; the catalog’s course table lists about 647 clinical hours. The BSN replaced the school’s associate nursing degree, whose last cohorts graduated in January 2023, and its first graduates finished in 2024. It is taught at Irvine, Alhambra and Riverside; the planned San Marcos BSN is still pending BRN approval.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
The OTA degree is 112.5 quarter credits over about 22 to 23 months and runs full-time on weekdays, roughly 8 AM to 5 PM, with no evening track. Students are on campus up to two and a half days a week and study online the rest of the time. Fieldwork is off-site, usually in 8- to 10-hour weekday shifts, and the school confirms each site about two weeks before the rotation starts. Graduates take the NBCOT exam to become certified occupational therapy assistants and then apply for a California licence.
Physical Therapist Assistant
The PTA degree takes about 20 to 21 months of full-time study, four to five days a week from 8 AM, at Irvine or Alhambra. Clinical education comes in three stages: a practicum of about four weeks, a first affiliation of eight weeks at 32 hours a week and a second of six weeks at 40 hours a week. Graduates take the National Physical Therapy Examination for PTAs, set by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, to be licensed.
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
The MSOT is an entry-level master’s for people who are not yet occupational therapists. It runs as a full-time cohort over about 26 to 27 months, with two to four days a week on campus. Level I fieldwork is one week in each of terms 2, 3 and 4, and Level II fieldwork is two 12-week placements. Graduates take the NBCOT exam for occupational therapists. Riverside’s first MSOT cohort graduated in July 2024 and the Los Angeles (Alhambra) campus’s first in March 2025.
Online nursing degrees: RN-to-BSN and MSN in nursing education
Both online degrees have open enrollment. The RN-to-BSN is for nurses who already hold an RN licence and an associate degree: students take 90 quarter credits at Stanbridge and transfer in 90, over about 23 to 24 months, including one 75-hour clinical component. The MSN in nursing education is 45 quarter credits over about 13 to 14 months and needs a BSN and an unencumbered RN licence in the state where the student practises. It includes a 140-hour practicum and a capstone completed in the student’s own area.
One price per program, and how students pay
Stanbridge charges a flat total for each program, the same at every campus, with no in-state or out-of-state rates. The 2026 catalog tuition chart, effective 1 January to 31 December 2026, lists these totals:
| Program (2026 catalog) | Tuition | Books and supplies | Total program charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vocational Nursing (full-time or part-time) | $39,409 | $3,586 | $42,995 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $58,820 | $1,175 | $59,995 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $57,966 | $2,029 | $59,995 |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing | $149,630 | $6,365 | $155,995 |
| Master of Science in Occupational Therapy | Not itemized | Not itemized | $109,955 |
| MSN, Nursing Education (online) | $19,495 | $500 | $19,995 |
The catalog says charges are subject to change but that changes don’t affect students already enrolled. Full-time and part-time vocational nursing cost the same. The RN-to-BSN is not in the 2026 tuition chart. Extra costs include a $48.50 background check, immunizations, drug tests, uniforms, transcripts and licensing and exam fees. The BSN price has risen: the BPPE 2024 annual report listed it at $142,995.
Stanbridge takes federal student aid (FAFSA code 038893), including Direct Unsubsidized loans, as well as Cal Grants and private loans through partner lenders. BPPE reported that 88% of its students had federal loans in 2024. It is approved under Title 38 for GI Bill benefits. Niche shows an average net price of $42,130 a year for the Irvine (Orange County) campus, and the school’s net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
Selective admission and mostly full-time daytime schedules
Niche, using federal data, shows a 10% acceptance rate. Vocational nursing applicants are admitted on ACCUPLACER scores and an interview and then ranked; the online RN-to-BSN and MSN have open enrollment.
Most programs are full-time daytime cohorts. Part-time vocational nursing is the only evening and weekend option; OTA, PTA and MSOT classes run on weekdays, though clinical and fieldwork shifts can fall at weekends. Some online courses begin with a first session on campus, according to the catalog.
Accreditation, licensing results and outcomes
ACCSC accredits the Irvine main campus and the Alhambra, Riverside and San Marcos branches, and BPPE approves all four. ACCSC renewed the Los Angeles (Alhambra) branch for five years in March 2025, according to its August 2025 public notice.
After an inspection on 10 September 2025, BPPE issued Stanbridge a Notice to Comply listing seven violations, about missing catalog and enrollment-agreement disclosures and a background-check fee labeled nonrefundable, with 30 days to correct them. There was no fine.
| Program and exam | Result | Cohort (all rows: school’s published figures) |
|---|---|---|
| BSN, NCLEX-RN (first-time) | 95.18% of 332 testers | 2024/25, Irvine, Alhambra and Riverside combined, per the school’s pass-rates page |
| Vocational Nursing, NCLEX-PN | Irvine 92% (198 testers); Alhambra 90% (164); Riverside 96% (25) | 2025; San Marcos has no graduates yet |
| MSOT, NBCOT OTR (within a year of graduating) | 86% of 107 | 2025, campuses combined (98% in 2023, 97% in 2024) |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant, NBCOT COTA | 78% three-year average | 2023-2025, Irvine and Alhambra combined |
| Physical Therapist Assistant, NPTE | Ultimate pass rate 95.2% (Irvine) and 100% (Alhambra); first-time 85.7% and 100% | 2024-25 average |
The two official sources for completion and job placement tell different stories. BPPE’s 2024 report counts all who started and all graduates available for work in that year; the school’s 2025 report to ACCSC uses earlier cohorts and a longer graduation window. The ACCSC report gives two figures for some programs without naming the campuses they belong to.
| Measure | BPPE 2024 annual report | School’s 2025 ACCSC report |
|---|---|---|
| What it counts | Completion: on-time graduates of all who started. Placement: graduates employed in the field, of those available. Per the BPPE 2024 report | Graduation within 150% of program length; employment in the field, of graduates available. Per the school’s ACCSC 2025 report |
| Vocational Nursing | Completion 41.5%; placement 46.4% | Graduation 53% and 56%; employment 90% and 82% (full-time, Dec 2021-Nov 2022 starts) |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | Completion 62.8%; placement 25.8% | Graduation 93% and 85%; employment 83% and 100% |
| MSOT | Completion 96.9%; placement 37.9% | Graduation 94%; employment 97% |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | Completion 84.3%; placement 65.1% | Graduation 80% and 88%; employment 100% |
Before you enroll
- Prices are high: $42,995 for vocational nursing, $59,995 for the OTA or PTA associate degree and $155,995 for the BSN (2026 catalog). Most students borrow: 88% had federal loans in 2024.
- Completion and job placement differ sharply by source. BPPE’s 2024 report shows 41.5% of vocational nursing students completing on time and only 25.8% of OTA and 37.9% of MSOT graduates placed in the field, while the school’s ACCSC figures show 82% to 100% employment. Ask for the School Performance Fact Sheet for your program and campus.
- San Marcos is new: it teaches only vocational nursing, has no graduates or pass rates yet, and its BSN is still awaiting BRN approval.
- The online MSN prepares nurse educators, not nurse practitioners, and the school states no programmatic accreditation for it. Students outside California should ask whether the school can enroll residents of their state in its online programs.
- The OTA program’s NBCOT pass rate averaged 78% over 2023-2025, and the MSOT rate fell to 86% in 2025, lower than the school’s nursing results.
Four campuses: what each teaches
| Campus | Address | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Irvine (main; the school’s Orange County campus) | 2041 Business Center Drive, Suite 107, Irvine, CA 92612 | Vocational nursing, OTA, PTA, BSN, MSOT; home of the online MSN |
| Alhambra (the school’s Los Angeles campus) | 2215 W. Mission Road, Alhambra, CA 91803 | Vocational nursing, OTA, PTA, BSN, MSOT |
| Riverside | 1325 Spruce Street, Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92507 (plus a building at 1450 Iowa Avenue) | Vocational nursing, BSN, MSOT |
| San Marcos (the school’s San Diego campus) | 277 Rancheros Drive, Suite 200, San Marcos, CA 92069 | Vocational nursing; BSN pending BRN approval |
The PTA and OTA associate degrees are taught only at Irvine and Alhambra. Clinical and fieldwork placements happen at contracted facilities across Southern California, which are not campuses.
Clinical placements and student support
The school arranges clinical and fieldwork placements for its programs at contracted facilities. The school offers tutoring and remediation, virtual-reality and simulation labs, a Learning Resource Center and a Writing Center. The BSN page mentions Career Services and job leads but gives no placement figures of its own.
What students say
On Niche, the Irvine (Orange County) campus is rated 4.16 out of 5 from 119 reviews, the Los Angeles (Alhambra) campus 4.12 from 59 and Riverside 4.55 from 53; San Marcos has no rating yet (checked October 2026). Reviewers most often praise welcoming, supportive staff and instructors, tutoring and remediation, and the labs, including virtual-reality, simulation and cadaver labs. The most common complaints are an administration and financial aid office that is hard to reach or inconsistent, with confusing payment notices; admissions promises that did not match the program; poorly explained exit exams and graduation requirements that added cost and delay; and the high price. Many recent reviews are short five-star posts from new students that arrive close together, and the school has claimed its Niche profile, so these may have been invited; older reviews from 2022 to 2024 are longer and more critical.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Nursing
- Vocational Nursing (Associate of Occupational Science), full-time or part-time
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN, prelicensure)
- RN-to-BSN Online Degree Completion
- Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Education (MSN-Ed, online)
Occupational and Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (Associate of Occupational Science)
- Physical Therapist Assistant (Associate of Science)
- Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
Campus Locations
Irvine, CA 2041 Business Center Drive, Suite 107, Irvine, CA 92612
Los Angeles (Alhambra), CA 2215 W. Mission Road, Alhambra, CA 91803
Riverside, CA 1325 Spruce Street, Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92507
San Diego (San Marcos), CA 277 Rancheros Drive, Suite 200, San Marcos, CA 92069