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 Gateway Technical College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Immunizations
- CPR certification
- Transcripts
- Prerequisite courses
30-credit technical diploma at the Racine and Elkhorn campuses using a three-stage priority placement process (pre-core, core-ready, core-active). Requires HESI A2 composite of 70% or higher (valid two years), college-level reading and writing, General Anatomy & Physiology with B- or better and Nursing Assistant course with C or better, plus multiple-measures entry (technical diploma or higher, 2.6 high school GPA, 2.0 college GPA or test scores); Castle Branch background check, drug test, Medical Document Manager and CPR before core. Tuition and fees $5,705 plus $1,066 books; NCLEX-PN first-time pass 93.5% in 2023, 95% in 2024 and 100% in 2025.
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
CMA LPNYour medication administration experience counts. Bridge from certified medication aide into practical nursing and full LPN licensure.
- Timeline
- 1 year
- State
- All states
Support available to Spanish learners
Southwestern College
View path
CNA to LPN
CNA LPNStep up from nursing assistant to licensed practical nurse. The fastest license upgrade in nursing, and the standard bridge toward RN.
- Timeline
- 1 year
- State
- All states
Support available to Spanish learners
East Arkansas Community College
View path
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.