Best colleges for Practical Nursing in New Jersey
Ranked by graduate earnings
MCVSD, Eastwick College - Hackensack and Universal Training Institute are the top Practical Nursing programs in New Jersey by graduate earnings. MCVSD leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,124, College Scorecard. Jersey College, Lincoln Technical Institute - Moorestown and Lincoln Technical Institute - Paramus award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in New Jersey: 281, 274 and 188 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 26 New Jersey colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 1,775 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 | MCVSD Freehold Public · Certificate | $62,124 | 25 | 53% | — | $10,168 |
| 2 | Eastwick College - Hackensack Hackensack Private for-profit · Certificate | $58,986 | 117 | 43% | $36,020 | $23,565 |
| 3 | Universal Training Institute Perth Amboy Private for-profit · Certificate | $58,535 | 56 | 58% | $38,094 | $12,953 |
| 4 | UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey Cranford Public · Certificate | $57,957 | 43 | 35% | — | $20,246 |
| 5 | Jersey College Teterboro Private for-profit · Certificate | $55,950 | 281 | 45% | $29,255 | $18,397 |
| 6 | Lincoln Technical Institute - Moorestown Moorestown Private for-profit · Certificate | $54,390 | 274 | 54% | $39,602 | $17,644 |
| 7 | Prism Career Institute - West Atlantic City West Atlantic City Private for-profit · Certificate | $49,653 | 121 | 61% | $29,442 | $21,599 |
| 8 | Ocean County Vocational-Technical School Toms River Public · Certificate | $49,629 | 60 | 65% | — | — |
| 9 | Berkeley College - Woodland Park Woodland Park Private for-profit · Certificate | $46,611 | 28 | 44% | $23,170 | $21,527 |
| 10 | Healthcare Training Institute Union Private for-profit · Certificate | $35,361 | 63 | 100% | $5,699 | $9,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in New Jersey
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 | Jersey College Teterboro Private for-profit | 281 | $55,950 |
| 2 | Lincoln Technical Institute - Moorestown Moorestown Private for-profit | 274 | $54,390* |
| 3 | Lincoln Technical Institute - Paramus Paramus Private for-profit | 188 | $54,390* |
| 4 | Lincoln Technical Institute - Iselin Iselin Private for-profit | 141 | $54,390* |
| 5 | Prism Career Institute - West Atlantic City West Atlantic City Private for-profit | 121 | $49,653* |
| 6 | Eastwick College - Hackensack Hackensack Private for-profit | 117 | $58,986 |
| 7 | Prism Career Institute - Cherry Hill Cherry Hill Private for-profit | 101 | $49,653* |
| 8 | Eastwick College - Ramsey Ramsey Private for-profit | 72 | Not reported |
| 9 | Healthcare Training Institute Union Private for-profit | 63 | $35,361 |
| 10 | Ocean County Vocational-Technical School Toms River Public | 60 | $49,629 |
ShowHide the other 16 New Jersey colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Training Institute | Perth Amboy | Private for-profit | 56 |
| Salem Community College | Carneys Point | Public | 43 |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County, New Jersey | Cranford | Public | 43 |
| Essex County College | Newark | Public | 31 |
| Berkeley College - Woodland Park | Woodland Park | Private for-profit | 28 |
| Morris County Vocational School District | Denville | Public | 28 |
| MCVSD | Freehold | Public | 25 |
| American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education | Piscataway | Private for-profit | 20 |
| Best Care College | East Orange | Private for-profit | 17 |
| Burlington County Institute of Technology - Adult Education | Westampton | Public | 17 |
| Hudson County Community College | Jersey City | Public | 14 |
| Atlantic Cape Community College | Mays Landing | Public | 13 |
| Holy Name Medical Center - Sister Claire Tynan School of Nursing | Englewood Cliffs | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Eastwick College - Nutley | Nutley | Private for-profit | 5 |
| Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus | Vineland | Public | 3 |
| Camden County College | Blackwood | Public | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in New Jersey
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in New Jersey.
Which New Jersey colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Jersey College (281 graduates a year), Lincoln Technical Institute - Moorestown (274 graduates a year) and Lincoln Technical Institute - Paramus (188 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in New Jersey, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 26 New Jersey colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in New Jersey?+
By graduate earnings, MCVSD leads among Practical Nursing programs in New Jersey, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,124, College Scorecard. Eastwick College - Hackensack and Universal Training Institute follow. By degrees awarded, Jersey College is the largest, with 281 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in New Jersey has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, MCVSD tops the list at $62,124. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in New Jersey?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in New Jersey is $46,810 (median $46,830), across about 32,400 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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