Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Colorado
Ranked by graduate earnings
Otero College, Morgan Community College and Concorde Career College - Aurora are the top Practical Nursing programs in Colorado by graduate earnings. Otero College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,405, College Scorecard. Pueblo Community College, Colorado Mesa University and Front Range Community College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Colorado: 226, 205 and 196 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 Colorado colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 2,478 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Otero College La Junta Public · Certificate | $74,405 | 60 | 38% | — | $24,150 |
| 2 | Morgan Community College Fort Morgan Public · Certificate | $64,066 | 106 | 45% | — | $11,750 |
| 3 | Concorde Career College - Aurora Aurora Private for-profit · Certificate | $57,339 | 120 | 64% | $18,015 | $17,268 |
| 4 | Pima Medical Institute - Aurora Aurora Private for-profit · Certificate | $54,021 | 31 | 72% | $20,506 | $11,597 |
| 5 | Technical College of the Rockies Delta Public · Certificate | $42,451 | 82 | 95% | — | $22,133 |
| 6 | Emily Griffith Technical College Denver Public · Certificate | $37,744 | 174 | 97% | — | $13,267 |
| 7 | Front Range Community College Westminster Public · Certificate | $29,021 | 196 | 35% | — | $13,107 |
| 8 | Pima Medical Institute - Denver Denver Private for-profit · Certificate | $28,834 | 64 | 73% | $23,429 | $8,000 |
| 9 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo Public · Certificate | $25,507 | 226 | 31% | — | $9,975 |
| 10 | Pickens Technical College Aurora Public · Certificate Small program | $53,360 | 17 | 76% | — | $11,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Colorado
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo Community College Pueblo Public | 226 | $25,507 |
| 2 | Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Public | 205 | Not reported |
| 3 | Front Range Community College Westminster Public | 196 | $29,021 |
| 4 | Emily Griffith Technical College Denver Public | 174 | $37,744 |
| 5 | Aims Community College Greeley Public | 171 | Not reported |
| 6 | Concorde Career College - Aurora Aurora Private for-profit | 120 | $57,339 |
| 7 | Morgan Community College Fort Morgan Public | 106 | $64,066 |
| 8 | Red Rocks Community College Lakewood Public | 86 | Not reported |
| 9 | Technical College of the Rockies Delta Public | 82 | $42,451 |
| 10 | Trinidad State College Trinidad Public | 68 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 13 Colorado colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikes Peak State College | Colorado Springs | Public | 350 |
| Arapahoe Community College | Littleton | Public | 241 |
| Colorado Mountain College | Glenwood Springs | Public | 107 |
| Community College of Denver | Denver | Public | 70 |
| Pima Medical Institute - Denver | Denver | Private for-profit | 64 |
| Otero College | La Junta | Public | 60 |
| Northeastern Junior College | Sterling | Public | 34 |
| Pima Medical Institute - Aurora | Aurora | Private for-profit | 31 |
| Lamar Community College | Lamar | Public | 23 |
| Intellitec College - Grand Junction | Grand Junction | Private for-profit | 20 |
| Community College of Aurora | Aurora | Public | 19 |
| Pickens Technical College | Aurora | Public | 17 |
| Colorado Northwestern Community College | Rangely | Public | 8 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Colorado
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Colorado.
Which Colorado colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Pueblo Community College (226 graduates a year), Colorado Mesa University (205 graduates a year) and Front Range Community College (196 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 Colorado colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Colorado?+
By graduate earnings, Otero College leads among Practical Nursing programs in Colorado, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,405, College Scorecard. Morgan Community College and Concorde Career College - Aurora follow. By degrees awarded, Pueblo Community College is the largest, with 226 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Otero College tops the list at $74,405. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Colorado?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Colorado is $47,400 (median $47,380), across about 22,240 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.
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