Becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) takes about 12 months of training, followed by a national licensing exam. It’s one of the fastest routes into healthcare, offering a median salary of $62,340 per year as of May 2024. Here’s what each step looks like.
Prerequisites Before You Apply
Most LPN programs require a high school diploma or GED, and many ask for a nursing entrance exam as part of the application. The two most common are the ATI TEAS and the HESI A2. The TEAS has four timed sections: reading (64 minutes), math (54 minutes), science (63 minutes), and English (28 minutes). Passing scores vary by school, but a composite score of 75% or higher is a common benchmark, with science sometimes set at a lower threshold around 59%.
The HESI A2 typically tests math, grammar, anatomy and physiology, and reading comprehension, with some programs expecting 85% or better on each section. You can retake these exams if you don’t hit the cutoff, though schools usually limit how often. Beyond test scores, programs may require a background check, immunization records, CPR certification, and completion of a few general education courses like anatomy or basic math.
What LPN Programs Cover
LPN training programs are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, and technical institutes. They typically run about 12 months and lead to a certificate or diploma rather than a degree. The curriculum mixes classroom instruction with hands-on clinical rotations in healthcare settings like hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient clinics.
Coursework covers foundational nursing skills: how to take vital signs, administer medications, care for wounds, monitor patients, and communicate with healthcare teams. You’ll study pharmacology, nutrition, human anatomy, and infection control. Programs also cover maternal and child health, mental health nursing, and medical-surgical care. The goal is to prepare you for supervised patient care across multiple settings.
Clinical hours are a required part of every program, though the exact number varies by state since each state board of nursing sets its own requirements. During clinicals, you practice skills on real patients under the supervision of licensed nurses or instructors. Expect rotations in different departments so you get exposure to a range of patient populations and conditions.
Passing the NCLEX-PN
After completing your program, you must pass the NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses) to earn your license. The exam is computerized and adaptive, meaning it adjusts the difficulty of each question based on your previous answers. You’ll answer anywhere from 75 to 145 questions within a five-hour time limit. The test ends once the computer determines with enough confidence whether you’ve met the passing standard, so finishing with fewer questions isn’t a bad sign.
The NCLEX-PN covers safe and effective care, health promotion, physiological integrity, and psychosocial needs. Most graduates schedule the exam within a few weeks of finishing their program, and your school’s pass rate is worth checking before you enroll. You’ll also need to submit a licensure application to your state board of nursing, which involves fees, fingerprinting, and a criminal background check. Each state handles this process slightly differently, so check your state board’s website for specifics.
What LPNs Can and Cannot Do
LPNs provide direct patient care, but they work under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) or physicians. You’ll collect patient data like vital signs and symptoms, carry out nursing interventions, administer medications, provide wound care, and educate patients and their families about treatment plans. You can also take on certain administrative tasks in your workplace.
The key limitation is around independent clinical judgment. LPNs contribute to patient assessments by collecting data and flagging concerns, but performing a comprehensive initial assessment or developing a nursing care plan independently falls outside the LPN scope of practice. Formulating a nursing diagnosis is also restricted to RNs. In practical terms, this means you’ll identify and report changes in a patient’s condition, but the RN makes the formal clinical decisions about what those changes mean and how to adjust the care plan.
Some tasks have additional restrictions. Certain components of IV therapy, for example, require extra training. In New York, health facilities are required to provide LPNs with specialized IV therapy training at least annually, including supervised clinical practice and competency demonstrations specific to the patient population they’ll serve.
Where LPNs Work
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities employ the largest share of LPNs. In these settings, you’re often the primary hands-on caregiver, monitoring residents, administering medications, and coordinating with RNs on care plans. Hospitals, home health agencies, physician offices, and outpatient clinics also hire LPNs, though the day-to-day responsibilities shift depending on the setting.
In a doctor’s office, your role might lean more toward taking patient histories, preparing exam rooms, and assisting with procedures. In home health, you may work more independently (while still reporting to a supervising RN), visiting patients in their homes to manage wound care, medication schedules, and vital sign monitoring.
Salary and Job Outlook
The median annual wage for LPNs was $62,340 in May 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, employer type, and experience. LPNs working in hospitals or metropolitan areas generally earn more than those in rural clinics or physician offices.
Employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, roughly matching the average for all occupations. Demand stays relatively steady because of the aging population and ongoing need for nursing care in long-term facilities. Job openings also come from turnover as LPNs retire or advance into RN roles.
Advancing From LPN to RN
Many LPNs use the role as a stepping stone. LPN-to-RN bridge programs let you build on the training you already have rather than starting a nursing degree from scratch. These programs grant advanced standing in an associate degree nursing program once you’ve met the general education and admission requirements. You’ll need to provide transcripts from your practical nursing program to determine which credits transfer.
Bridge programs typically take one to two years depending on how many prerequisites you’ve completed. Earning an RN license opens up higher pay, a broader scope of practice, and the ability to work in roles that require independent clinical judgment. Some LPNs continue further, completing a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) through similar transition programs.