LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

Offered by Long Beach City College Long Beach, California

Overview

Tuition $5,000

Licensure pass rate (2025) 100%

Duration 12–18 months

A practical nursing program that prepares graduates for NCLEX-PN licensure to provide basic nursing care under the direction of RNs and physicians, supporting health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

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 Long Beach City College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.

Minimum GPA 2.0

Apply through School application

Seats per cohort 60

What you'll need

Prerequisite courses
Transcripts

Application windows: Spring 2027 November 9 to 12, 2026; Fall 2026 was May 11 to 14, 2026. Requires a current California CNA license, high school diploma or GED, 2.0 GPA, math and reading proficiency, Human Biology (BIO 60) or anatomy and physiology with a combined 2.0 GPA, and pharmacology (ADN 225 or VN 225). Three semester program, estimated cost about $5,000; seats prioritized by GPA (65% to 3.50 to 4.00, 15% to 3.00 to 3.49, 10% to 2.00 to 2.99, 10% military and transfer); about 60 graduates per year. Application at https://apps.lbcc.edu/vn.

Prerequisite courses

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 LPN

Your medication administration experience counts. Bridge from certified medication aide into practical nursing and full LPN licensure.

Time: 1 year
State: All states

Southwestern College

View path

CNA to LPN

CNA LPN

Step up from nursing assistant to licensed practical nurse. The fastest license upgrade in nursing, and the standard bridge toward RN.

Time: 1 year
State: All states

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.

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