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California vs New Jersey for RN Licensing

Total Fees
$549
CA
vs
$465
NJ
Timeline
10-12 wks
CA
vs
4-8 wks
NJ
Renewal Fee
$190
CA
vs
$120
NJ

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category California New Jersey
Total Fees $549 $465
Application Fee $300 $200
Exam Fee $200 $200
Processing Time 10-12 weeks 4-8 weeks
Renewal Cycle 2 years 2 years
Renewal Fee $190 $120
CE Hours 30 hrs 30 hrs
NLC Compact Member No Yes

Key Differences

Cost

New Jersey is $84 cheaper for initial licensing fees.

Winner: New Jersey

Processing Speed

New Jersey processes applications in 4-8 weeks.

Winner: New Jersey

NLC Compact

New Jersey is an NLC compact state, allowing practice in 40+ states with one license.

Winner: New Jersey

Renewal Cost

New Jersey has lower renewal fees at $120 per cycle.

Winner: New Jersey

Category Winners

Lower Cost
New Jersey $465
vs California ($549)
Faster Processing
New Jersey 4-8 wks
vs California (10-12 wks)
Cheaper Renewal
New Jersey $120
vs California ($190)

California Board

California Board of Registered Nursing

Official Website →

New Jersey Board

New Jersey Board of Nursing

Official Website →

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