
California Northstate University (CNU) is a private university founded in 2008 with an initial focus on pharmacy education. It subsequently added programs in health sciences, medicine and dentistry, developing into a health-professions institution rather than a broad-based university with a large range of unrelated majors.
That sequence matters to applicants: the university's colleges serve different stages of education, from undergraduate preparation to professional degrees. A prospective student should evaluate the history and outcomes of the particular college and program they intend to enter, not assume that a university-wide milestone applies equally to every degree.
CNU organizes its academics around health and biomedical education. Its colleges include the College of Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, College of Dental Medicine and College of Graduate Studies.
The College of Health Sciences offers undergraduate study, while the professional colleges offer pathways leading to credentials such as the Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Dental Medicine. Graduate offerings include biomedical science study. These are distinct admissions tracks: a bachelor's applicant does not apply under the same requirements as a medical, pharmacy or dental applicant.
The university reported 155 full-time and 35 part-time teaching faculty in institutional figures. Those totals cover undergraduate and graduate instruction; they do not describe the faculty or class size in any one program.
California Northstate University is based in Elk Grove, California, in the Sacramento metropolitan area. Its setting is suburban, with access to regional health care facilities and employers as well as the broader Sacramento area.
Applicants should confirm the teaching location for their specific program. A university's Elk Grove identity does not mean every class, laboratory or clinical assignment meets at one address. Transportation planning is particularly important for students who expect to commute or complete placements at external sites.
CNU describes its purpose in terms of educating health professionals and advancing health care through teaching, research and service. Its stated direction emphasizes preparation for professional practice and attention to community health.
Those aims help explain the university's specialized academic structure. They are institutional priorities, however, rather than proof that a particular student will obtain a clinical placement, professional license or job. Applicants can assess how a program puts those priorities into practice by examining its curriculum, supervised training requirements and published outcomes.
Name of the institution
California Northstate UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
Under 1,000School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
2006California Northstate University is institutionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 2, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.