Best colleges for Practical Nursing
Ranked by graduate earnings
The top colleges for Practical Nursing by graduate earnings are Harmony Health Care Institute ($85,953), Saint Michael College of Allied Health ($74,782) and Otero College ($74,405), based on median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, among programs with at least 20 graduates a year, excluding online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools and those with a graduation rate under 30%.
- Harmony Health Care Institute (Merrimack, NH): $85,953, 88 graduates a year
- Saint Michael College of Allied Health (Washington, DC): $74,782, 31 graduates a year
- Otero College (La Junta, CO): $74,405, 60 graduates a year
- Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing (Billerica, MA): $72,230, 32 graduates a year
- Greater Lowell Technical School (Tyngsboro, MA): $67,281, 58 graduates a year
Compare 1,213 U.S. colleges offering Practical Nursing by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 56 states.
Practical Nursing programs report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,454 (College Scorecard, 2019), and map to CIP 51.39 and the Nursing Assistants occupation (BLS SOC).
About Practical Nursing programs
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 patients who are sick, injured, or disabled, working under the supervision of healthcare professionals. It is ideal for those seeking a rewarding career in the health professions field.
Students in the Practical Nursing program will develop essential skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework covers vital knowledge areas including customer service, public safety, and basic medical principles, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for their roles in patient care.
Top 25 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, predominant credential. 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 | Harmony Health Care Institute Merrimack, NH Private for-profit · Certificate | $85,953 | 88 | 87% | $44,021 | $12,685 |
| 2 | Saint Michael College of Allied Health Washington, DC Private for-profit · Certificate | $74,782 | 31 | 83% | $40,219 | $17,713 |
| 3 | Otero College La Junta, CO Public · Certificate | $74,405 | 60 | 38% | — | $24,150 |
| 4 | Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing Billerica, MA Public · Certificate | $72,230 | 32 | 80% | — | $9,397 |
| 5 | Greater Lowell Technical School Tyngsboro, MA Public · Certificate | $67,281 | 58 | 100% | — | $8,859 |
| 6 | Unitek College South San Francisco, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $66,221 | 134 | 73% | $27,792 | $17,305 |
| 7 | Unitek College Hayward, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $66,221 | 184 | 63% | $28,199 | $17,305 |
| 8 | Transitions Career Institute School of Nursing College Point, NY Private for-profit · Certificate | $65,992 | 90 | 79% | $38,748 | $11,750 |
| 9 | Delaware County Technical School - Practical Nursing Program Broomall, PA Public · Certificate | $65,986 | 70 | 70% | — | $17,375 |
| 10 | Butte College Oroville, CA Public · Associate degree | $65,467 | 132 | 45% | — | $13,382 |
| 11 | Medical Allied Career Center Santa Fe Springs, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $65,387 | 29 | 81% | $31,499 | $17,130 |
| 12 | Carrington College - Sacramento Sacramento, CA Private for-profit · Associate degree | $65,035 | 122 | 51% | $38,203 | $32,832 |
| 13 | AMG School of Nursing Brooklyn, NY Private for-profit · Certificate | $64,878 | 85 | 79% | $33,363 | $14,167 |
| 14 | Morgan Community College Fort Morgan, CO Public · Certificate | $64,066 | 106 | 45% | — | $11,750 |
| 15 | Verve College Oak Brook, IL Private for-profit · Certificate | $63,593 | 102 | — | — | $14,933 |
| 16 | Chattahoochee Valley Community College Phenix City, AL Public · Certificate | $63,335 | 53 | 36% | — | $9,875 |
| 17 | Hartnell College Salinas, CA Public · Certificate | $63,321 | 81 | 40% | — | — |
| 18 | Coastal Alabama Community College Bay Minette, AL Public · Associate degree | $63,125 | 211 | 31% | — | — |
| 19 | Gogebic Community College Ironwood, MI Public · Certificate | $62,799 | 35 | 36% | — | $14,000 |
| 20 | Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas De Queen, AR Public · Associate degree | $62,501 | 24 | 54% | — | — |
| 21 | Southeastern Technical Institute South Easton, MA Public · Certificate | $62,482 | 32 | 74% | — | $14,499 |
| 22 | North-West College - Van Nuys Van Nuys, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $62,356 | 63 | 60% | $33,855 | $18,845 |
| 23 | MCVSD Freehold, NJ Public · Certificate | $62,124 | 25 | 53% | — | $10,168 |
| 24 | Unitek College Fremont, CA Private for-profit · Certificate | $61,838 | 1,637 | 73% | $27,021 | $17,305 |
| 25 | Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND Public · Certificate | $61,629 | 40 | 47% | — | $18,297 |
Specializations within Practical Nursing
3 of the 3 6-digit CIP codes under CIP 51.39 have U.S. graduates (NCES CIP 2020, IPEDS 2024–25). Each links to its own page, ranked by graduates.
Offered across 56 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 31-1131, Nursing Assistants, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Practical Nursing program can expect a career as licensed practical nurses, with a job outlook that is about as fast as average, featuring approximately 204,100 annual openings. The median wage for LPNs is $39,530, and the typical education required is a postsecondary nondegree award.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Practical Nursing
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 51.39.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 51.39 (Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants) maps to 2 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 29-2061 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses |
| 31-1131 | Nursing Assistantsprimary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Practical Nursing programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
Common questions
What is a licensed practical nurse (LPN)?+
An LPN is a nurse who provides direct care for patients who are sick, injured, or disabled.
What skills will I learn in this program?+
You will learn skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for LPNs?+
The job outlook for LPNs is about as fast as average, with around 204,100 annual openings.
What is the median wage for licensed practical nurses?+
The median wage for LPNs is $39,530.
How much do Practical Nursing graduates earn?+
Practical Nursing graduates report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,454, College Scorecard (2019); the Nursing Assistants occupation pays about $42,700 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Practical Nursing?+
Practical Nursing maps to CIP 51.39 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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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