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 Pasadena City College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Transcripts
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Immunizations
- CPR certification
Prerequisites (C or better, 2.75 minimum prerequisite GPA): NURS 103 CNA, Nutrition 011, Psychology 024, Anatomy 025, Physiology 001, plus a valid unrestricted California Nurse Assistant license; application window March 1 to April 1 for the fall start, selection by lottery, notification about 12 weeks after close. After acceptance: health clearance, background check ($42), 16 panel drug screen ($42), AHA CPR for Health Care Providers ($65), malpractice insurance, COVID-19 vaccination. 11 month certificate; total estimated program cost $5,100.
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.
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.