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 College of Saint Mary asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Transcripts
- CPR certification
- Immunizations
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Prerequisite courses
Rolling admission beginning June 1 for the following May start; waitlist once the cohort fills. Requires an active unencumbered CNA license, cumulative college GPA 2.5 or higher, ENG 101 and A&P with lab (C or higher, within 5 years if transferred), active BLS, health record with immunizations, background check and drug screen; a recommendation letter may be requested by the program director. 100% first time NCLEX-PN pass rate for five consecutive years (year not stated); 40 credit hours. Cost page: https://www.csm.edu/tuition-aid/undergraduate-tuition-fees/pnc-cost-of-attendance/
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.