Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Kentucky
Ranked by graduate earnings
Beckfield College - Florence, ATA College and Galen College of Nursing - Louisville are the top Practical Nursing programs in Kentucky by graduate earnings. Beckfield College - Florence leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,479, College Scorecard. Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and Owensboro Community and Technical College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Kentucky: 810, 445 and 394 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 Kentucky colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 5,378 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 | Beckfield College - Florence Florence Private for-profit · Certificate | $48,479 | 43 | 32% | $28,312 | $20,502 |
| 2 | ATA College Louisville Private for-profit · Associate degree | $47,266 | 67 | 46% | $28,256 | $32,477 |
| 3 | Galen College of Nursing - Louisville Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate | $46,830 | 47 | 61% | — | $16,642 |
| 4 | Sullivan University Louisville Private for-profit · Certificate | $40,909 | 22 | 71% | $29,703 | $25,959 |
| 5 | Hopkinsville Community College Hopkinsville Public · Certificate | $37,077 | 183 | 45% | — | $10,898 |
| 6 | Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington Public · Certificate | $36,053 | 810 | 43% | — | $11,000 |
| 7 | Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Public · Certificate | $33,594 | 312 | 35% | — | $14,187 |
| 8 | Gateway Community and Technical College Florence Public · Certificate | $32,936 | 390 | 59% | — | $9,932 |
| 9 | Maysville Community and Technical College Maysville Public · Certificate | $31,865 | 219 | 56% | — | $12,858 |
| 10 | Henderson Community College Henderson Public · Certificate | $31,819 | 109 | 35% | — | $10,387 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Kentucky
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 | Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington Public | 810 | $36,053 |
| 2 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Elizabethtown Public | 445 | $25,545 |
| 3 | Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro Public | 394 | Not reported |
| 4 | Gateway Community and Technical College Florence Public | 390 | $32,936 |
| 5 | West Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah Public | 389 | $31,020 |
| 6 | Somerset Community College Somerset Public | 389 | $28,953 |
| 7 | Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland Public | 325 | $26,424 |
| 8 | Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Public | 312 | $33,594 |
| 9 | Madisonville Community College Madisonville Public | 249 | $26,318 |
| 10 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green Public | 244 | $30,338 |
ShowHide the other 13 Kentucky colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazard Community and Technical College | Hazard | Public | 230 |
| Maysville Community and Technical College | Maysville | Public | 219 |
| Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College | Cumberland | Public | 208 |
| Hopkinsville Community College | Hopkinsville | Public | 183 |
| Big Sandy Community and Technical College | Prestonsburg | Public | 120 |
| Henderson Community College | Henderson | Public | 109 |
| Medical Career & Technical College | Richmond | Private for-profit | 84 |
| ATA College | Louisville | Private for-profit | 67 |
| MedQuest College | Louisville | Private for-profit | 62 |
| Galen College of Nursing - Louisville | Louisville | Private for-profit | 47 |
| Beckfield College - Florence | Florence | Private for-profit | 43 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Pikeville | Pikeville | Private for-profit | 37 |
| Sullivan University | Louisville | Private for-profit | 22 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Kentucky
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Kentucky.
Which Kentucky colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Bluegrass Community and Technical College (810 graduates a year), Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (445 graduates a year) and Owensboro Community and Technical College (394 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Kentucky, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 Kentucky colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Kentucky?+
By graduate earnings, Beckfield College - Florence leads among Practical Nursing programs in Kentucky, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,479, College Scorecard. ATA College and Galen College of Nursing - Louisville follow. By degrees awarded, Bluegrass Community and Technical College is the largest, with 810 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Kentucky has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Beckfield College - Florence tops the list at $48,479. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Kentucky?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Kentucky is $39,170 (median $38,370), across about 23,410 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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