Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Kansas
Ranked by graduate earnings
Donnelly College, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Hutchinson Community College are the top Practical Nursing programs in Kansas by graduate earnings. Donnelly College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,147, College Scorecard. Johnson County Community College, Wichita State University - Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology and Hutchinson Community College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Kansas: 593, 498 and 302 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 27 Kansas colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 4,566 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 9 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 | Donnelly College Kansas City Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $49,147 | 58 | 46% | $15,557 | $27,626 |
| 2 | Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City Public · Certificate | $48,862 | 242 | 42% | — | $14,750 |
| 3 | Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Public · Certificate | $45,344 | 302 | 53% | — | $13,210 |
| 4 | Washburn Institute of Technology Topeka Public · Certificate | $43,321 | 223 | 68% | — | $17,283 |
| 5 | Salina Area Technical College Salina Public · Certificate | $38,440 | 202 | 68% | — | $17,124 |
| 6 | Wichita State University - Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita Public · Certificate | $38,356 | 498 | 43% | — | $20,657 |
| 7 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park Public · Certificate | $36,404 | 593 | 31% | — | $12,406 |
| 8 | Flint Hills Technical College Emporia Public · Certificate | $34,930 | 110 | 68% | — | $13,600 |
| 9 | Manhattan Area Technical College Manhattan Public · Certificate | $32,624 | 150 | 74% | — | $13,998 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Kansas
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 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park Public | 593 | $36,404 |
| 2 | Wichita State University - Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Wichita Public | 498 | $38,356 |
| 3 | Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Public | 302 | $45,344 |
| 4 | Neosho County Community College Chanute Public | 251 | Not reported |
| 5 | Kansas City Kansas Community College Kansas City Public | 242 | $48,862 |
| 6 | Highland Community College Highland Public | 241 | Not reported |
| 7 | Washburn Institute of Technology Topeka Public | 223 | $43,321 |
| 8 | Butler Community College El Dorado Public | 205 | Not reported |
| 9 | Salina Area Technical College Salina Public | 202 | $38,440 |
| 10 | Fort Hays Tech North Central Beloit Public | 193 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 17 Kansas colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden City Community College | Garden City | Public | 190 |
| Cloud County Community College | Concordia | Public | 153 |
| Manhattan Area Technical College | Manhattan | Public | 150 |
| Barton County Community College | Great Bend | Public | 127 |
| Dodge City Community College | Dodge City | Public | 122 |
| Cowley County Community College | Arkansas City | Public | 118 |
| Flint Hills Technical College | Emporia | Public | 110 |
| Fort Scott Community College | Fort Scott | Public | 99 |
| Colby Community College | Colby | Public | 86 |
| Pratt Community College | Pratt | Public | 84 |
| Seward County Community College | Liberal | Public | 84 |
| Allen County Community College | Iola | Public | 79 |
| Coffeyville Community College | Coffeyville | Public | 66 |
| Donnelly College | Kansas City | Private not-for-profit | 58 |
| Independence Community College | Independence | Public | 50 |
| Labette Community College | Parsons | Public | 33 |
| Fort Hays State University - Northwest Kansas Technical College | Goodland | Public | 7 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Kansas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Kansas.
Which Kansas colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Johnson County Community College (593 graduates a year), Wichita State University - Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (498 graduates a year) and Hutchinson Community College (302 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Kansas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 27 Kansas colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Kansas?+
By graduate earnings, Donnelly College leads among Practical Nursing programs in Kansas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $49,147, College Scorecard. Kansas City Kansas Community College and Hutchinson Community College follow. By degrees awarded, Johnson County Community College is the largest, with 593 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Kansas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Donnelly College tops the list at $49,147. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Kansas?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Kansas is $39,730 (median $38,010), across about 24,610 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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