Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire licensed practical nurses to provide basic patient care such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assisting with daily needs under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
Getting in
What Butte College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Background check
- CPR certification
No GPA threshold or entrance exam. Prerequisites with C or better, no recency rule: ENGL 2 or 3, BIOL 20 Anatomy, BIOL 21 Physiology, FN 2 Nutrition. Page states the next application cycle opens Dec 1 2026 through Mar 31 2027, with a Mar 1 2027 deadline for the fall start (spring start deadline was Aug 31 2026); more qualified applicants than seats are chosen by computer lottery. Three semesters, roughly 2 to 2.5 years including prerequisites; estimated total about $6,400 ($5,775 during the program).
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Paths
Routes into LPN. The first step is where you enroll today.
Medication Aide to LPN
Your medication administration experience counts. Bridge from certified medication aide into practical nursing and full LPN licensure.
CNA to LPN
Step up from nursing assistant to licensed practical nurse. The fastest license upgrade in nursing, and the standard bridge toward RN.
People
Acceptees whose paths lead to this program, and how they got in.
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.