Best colleges for Practical Nursing in Louisiana
Ranked by graduate earnings
Compass Career College, Fletcher Technical Community College and Delta College - Slidell Campus are the top Practical Nursing programs in Louisiana by graduate earnings. Compass Career College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $53,339, College Scorecard. Central Louisiana Technical Community College, South Louisiana Community College and Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Louisiana: 386, 272 and 218 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 22 Louisiana colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 2,230 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 | Compass Career College Hammond Private for-profit · Certificate | $53,339 | 21 | 59% | $13,404 | $26,278 |
| 2 | Fletcher Technical Community College Schriever Public · Certificate | $52,652 | 47 | 30% | — | — |
| 3 | Delta College - Slidell Campus Slidell Private for-profit · Certificate | $48,157 | 44 | 63% | $21,327 | $20,055 |
| 4 | Delta College of Arts & Technology Baton Rouge Private for-profit · Certificate | $47,526 | 67 | 65% | $19,973 | $19,999 |
| 5 | River Parishes Community College Gonzales Public · Certificate | $43,978 | 83 | 30% | — | $30,029 |
| 6 | Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College Minden Public · Certificate | $43,922 | 218 | 77% | — | $14,354 |
| 7 | SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles Public · Certificate | $43,365 | 79 | 43% | — | $8,000 |
| 8 | Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Public · Certificate | $41,570 | 97 | 30% | — | $20,000 |
| 9 | Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge Public · Certificate | $40,776 | 24 | 31% | — | — |
| 10 | South Louisiana Community College Lafayette Public · Certificate | $40,153 | 272 | 30% | — | $20,214 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in Louisiana
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 | Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria Public | 386 | Not reported |
| 2 | South Louisiana Community College Lafayette Public | 272 | $40,153 |
| 3 | Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College Minden Public | 218 | $43,922 |
| 4 | Infinity College Lafayette Private for-profit | 173 | Not reported |
| 5 | Northshore Technical Community College Lacombe Public | 122 | $38,643 |
| 6 | Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Public | 97 | $41,570 |
| 7 | River Parishes Community College Gonzales Public | 83 | $43,978 |
| 8 | SOWELA Technical Community College Lake Charles Public | 79 | $43,365 |
| 9 | Delta College of Arts & Technology Baton Rouge Private for-profit | 67 | $47,526 |
| 10 | Williams Technical College Houma Private for-profit | 55 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 12 Louisiana colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bossier Parish Community College | Bossier City | Public | 209 |
| Nunez Community College | Chalmette | Public | 115 |
| Delgado Community College | New Orleans | Public | 88 |
| Delta College of Arts & Technology - Lafayette Campus | Lafayette | Private for-profit | 51 |
| Fletcher Technical Community College | Schriever | Public | 47 |
| Delta College - Slidell Campus | Slidell | Private for-profit | 44 |
| Delta College Inc | Covington | Private for-profit | 38 |
| Baton Rouge Community College | Baton Rouge | Public | 24 |
| Compass Career College | Hammond | Private for-profit | 21 |
| Healthcare Training Institute | Kenner | Private for-profit | 21 |
| Blue Cliff College - Metairie | Metairie | Private for-profit | 15 |
| Petra College | Hammond | Private for-profit | 5 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in Louisiana
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in Louisiana.
Which Louisiana colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Central Louisiana Technical Community College (386 graduates a year), South Louisiana Community College (272 graduates a year) and Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College (218 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in Louisiana, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 22 Louisiana colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in Louisiana?+
By graduate earnings, Compass Career College leads among Practical Nursing programs in Louisiana, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $53,339, College Scorecard. Fletcher Technical Community College and Delta College - Slidell Campus follow. By degrees awarded, Central Louisiana Technical Community College is the largest, with 386 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in Louisiana has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Compass Career College tops the list at $53,339. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in Louisiana?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Louisiana is $32,250 (median $30,510), across about 20,690 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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