Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Florida
Ranked by graduate earnings
Florida State College at Jacksonville, Herzing University - Orlando and Pinellas Technical College - St. Petersburg are the top Practical Nursing programs in Florida by graduate earnings. Florida State College at Jacksonville leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $57,579, College Scorecard. South Florida Institute of Technology, FVI School of Nursing and Technology and InterAmerican Technical Institute award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Florida: 1,407, 438 and 215 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 90 Florida colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 6,585 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 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Public · Certificate | $57,579 | 46 | 37% | — | $19,000 |
| 2 | Herzing University - Orlando Winter Park Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $47,310 | 62 | 37% | $20,697 | $22,586 |
| 3 | Pinellas Technical College - St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg Public · Certificate | $47,306 | 70 | 60% | — | $17,485 |
| 4 | Manatee Technical College Bradenton Public · Certificate | $47,102 | 71 | 64% | — | $11,500 |
| 5 | Galen College of Nursing - Tampa Bay Saint Petersburg Private for-profit · Certificate | $46,830 | 25 | 63% | $27,129 | $16,642 |
| 6 | Concorde Career Institute - Jacksonville Jacksonville Private for-profit · Certificate | $46,513 | 62 | 47% | $28,466 | $30,663 |
| 7 | Atlantic Technical College Coconut Creek Public · Certificate | $46,267 | 124 | 65% | — | $9,222 |
| 8 | Fortis Institute - Port Saint Lucie Port Saint Lucie Private for-profit · Certificate | $45,996 | 41 | 53% | $27,686 | $24,708 |
| 9 | Daytona State College Daytona Beach Public · Certificate | $45,712 | 47 | 43% | — | $19,776 |
| 10 | Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations West Palm Beach Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $45,480 | 45 | 42% | $30,395 | $16,710 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Florida
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 | South Florida Institute of Technology Miami Private for-profit | 1,407 | $18,258 |
| 2 | FVI School of Nursing and Technology Miami Private for-profit | 438 | $24,312 |
| 3 | InterAmerican Technical Institute Miami Private for-profit | 215 | Not reported |
| 4 | Medical Institute of Palm Beach Greenacres Private for-profit | 170 | Not reported |
| 5 | Lively Technical College Tallahassee Public | 168 | $38,712 |
| 6 | Suncoast Technical College Sarasota Public | 165 | $40,364 |
| 7 | Rasmussen University - Florida Ocala Private for-profit | 146 | $45,271 |
| 8 | ICR Florida Education North Miami Beach Private for-profit | 146 | Not reported |
| 9 | Florida International Training Institute Miami Private for-profit | 126 | Not reported |
| 10 | Atlantic Technical College Coconut Creek Public | 124 | $46,267 |
ShowHide the other 80 Florida colleges offering Practical Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Florida
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Florida.
Which Florida colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
South Florida Institute of Technology (1,407 graduates a year), FVI School of Nursing and Technology (438 graduates a year) and InterAmerican Technical Institute (215 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 90 Florida colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Florida?+
By graduate earnings, Florida State College at Jacksonville leads among Practical Nursing programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $57,579, College Scorecard. Herzing University - Orlando and Pinellas Technical College - St. Petersburg follow. By degrees awarded, South Florida Institute of Technology is the largest, with 1,407 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Florida State College at Jacksonville tops the list at $57,579. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Florida?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Florida is $39,160 (median $37,510), across about 96,960 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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