Arkansas · Practical Nursing

Best institutions to study Practical Nursing in Arkansas

The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…

Institutions
27
offering CIP 51.39
States & territories
56
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2,159
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$42,364
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
14
College Scorecard
Median net price
$34,755
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Nursing Assistants
$33,970
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
De Queen Public · Associate degree
$62,5012454%
2Baptist Health College Little Rock
Little Rock Private not-for-profit · Certificate degree
$48,332190$34,755$22,750
3Arkansas Tech University
Russellville Public · Associate degree
$47,90218249%$23,983
4Northwest Technical Institute
Springdale Public · Certificate degree
$47,7152374%
5Arkansas State University - Beebe
Beebe Public · Certificate degree
$44,54612542%$15,968
6National Park College
Hot Springs Public · Certificate degree
$42,3642535%$13,898
7Arkansas State University - Newport
Newport Public · Certificate degree
$39,97923046%$11,300
8North Arkansas College
Harrison Public · Certificate degree
$38,7836442%$10,322
9Arkansas State University - Mountain Home
Mountain Home Public · Certificate degree
$37,7693544%$16,500
10University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain
Mena Public · Certificate degree
$36,1797855%

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.3%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~204,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$39,530
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Nursing Assistants earn in Arkansas

Jobs in Arkansas
17,260
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$33,970
median $34,430
Best-paying metro
$35,720
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR

Related careers

Nursing Assistants
$33,970 avg · 17,260 jobs
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$55,690 avg · 10,010 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Arkansas.

Which Practical Nursing program in Arkansas has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas tops the list at $62,501. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Arkansas?+

The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Arkansas is $33,970 (median $34,430), across about 17,260 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+

The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+

The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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