Best LPN Programs in The Western Region
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
How Many Schools from the Western Region were Evaluated for our Rankings?
We evaluated a total of 423 schools offering nursing programs in the Western Region.
Ranking Methodology: How were the Best LPN Programs in the Western Region Ranked?
To come up with the list of best LPN programs in the Western Region, we looked into more than 423 nursing schools in the region and ranked them based on four important factors - NCLEX-PN pass rates, academic quality, the nursing school’s reputation, and affordability. Following is the weightage we assigned to each of these factors.
1. NCLEX-PN Pass Rates (2019-2022): 60%
• 2019 Pass Rates: 10%
• 2020 Pass Rates: 20%
• 2021 Pass Rates: 30%
• 2022 Pass Rates: 40%
2. Academic Quality: 20%
3. The Nursing School's Reputation: 10%
4. Affordability: 10%
18 Best LPN Programs in The Western Region for 2025
Chemeketa Community College is consistently listed among the best colleges in the nation in part due to its impressive NCLEX-PN exam first-time pass rates. Through its practical nurse training, you will learn to deliver highly organized nursing care in a prioritized manner and at the same time work towards ensuring minimal risks to your patients, staff, and yourself. With a job placement rate of around 100%, you can land yourself in the right job quite effortlessly.
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Are you looking for a nursing job that gives you the mobility to work either as a part-time, temporary, or full-time hire? Within a short time, you can work in any such schedule upon graduating from a practical nursing program. The LPN curriculum of Bridgerland Technical College focuses on providing you with hands-on, competency-based training. Your education here will comprise of a perfect blend of classroom instruction, simulation activities in its high-tech laboratory, and clinical experiences at several local healthcare centers. The coursework is divided into 2 semesters where you will study the fundamentals of nursing, workplace relations, adult health, and drug therapy.
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There are very few jobs that provide you with as much mobility as nursing. Upon becoming a nurse, you can work in varied healthcare settings based on your preference. This LPN program requires you to complete pre-requisite courses in psychology, fundamentals of algebra, and anatomy & physiology. Upon completing the pre-requisite courses, you will study nursing leadership, medical terminology, and practical nursing to earn a total of 46-52 credits.
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If you are interested in working with a particular group of patients, you can do so with a nursing degree. Some of these patient groups include pediatric, geriatric, wounds & burns, and psychiatric. Established in 1968, Uintah Basin Technical College was the first technical institute in Utah that is well-known in the community for its competency-based programs and flexible schedules. Its 900 hours long LPN program aims at educating you in pharmacological nursing care, nursing care of the adult patient, mental health nursing, and nursing care of the new family.
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If you are empathetic and are interested in creating an impact on people’s lives, then a career in nursing might be the right choice for you. Allan Hancock College’s LVN program takes 12 months to complete and is carefully planned to help you transition from a CNA to an LVN. It is important to know that you are required to have completed courses in English, math, psychology, and biology with a minimum grade of ‘C’ before enrolling here. The college also boasts of an impressive NCLEX-PN pass rate, with a vast majority of its VN graduates making it through in their very first attempt.
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Beginning your career as a nurse can seem a little daunting. By pursuing an LPN degree, you can gain a good insight into the field by spending less time and money. Ogden-Weber Technical College’s practical nurse program covers 9 courses that you will learn through lectures from its expert faculty, group discussions, written assignments, simulation activities, and supervised practicums. Some of these courses include the foundations of nursing care, pharmacology, mental health nursing, pharmacological nursing care, and nursing care of the family. If you decide to continue your education to become a registered nurse, then you can seamlessly transfer your LPN credits to the first year of your associate degree.
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Apart from being a primary career choice, nursing is also one of the most popular second career options as the field is not only highly remunerative, but you can also further boost your income by working extra hours on weekdays and holidays. Mountainland Technical College offers a 900 clock hour-long LPN program that typically takes 9 to 12 months to complete. Upon enrolling in the fall or spring semester you will attend classes in nursing care for adult patients, pharmacological nursing care, nursing care of the new family, and mental health nursing.
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Santa Barbara City College offers a three-semester-long vocational nursing training that prepares you to provide entry-level patient care in homes, clinics, extended care, sub-acute care units, surgery centers, and hospices. To graduate from this dynamic program you are required to dedicate around 8 hours every day towards both classroom and laboratory courses. These include the foundation of nursing practice, nutrition & care for patients with gastrointestinal problems, administration of therapeutic agents, maternal & child nursing, pharmacology, and medical-surgical nursing.
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With a student to faculty ratio of 1:17, Central Oregon Community College’s practical nursing education offers you an individualized learning experience. The college also offers financial aid to more than 50% of its students, allowing them to study at minimum costs. The school has been training students since 1949, making it the oldest community college in the state. The LPN curriculum comprises a mix of core nursing and general education courses that prepare you to become a care manager, care provider, and user of healthcare technology.
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Being among the best LPN programs in the western region it is no surprise that Utah State University’s department of nursing boasts of an outstanding job placement rate. Since the cost can be a major deciding factor for students in pursuing a degree, the college offers scholarships worth a total of 100,000 dollars to its nursing students. Here you will learn biological, physical, and behavioral sciences, in addition to nursing theoretical and practical concepts.
Olympic College’s LPN program takes one year to complete. Here you will learn to deliver safe direct patient care in long-term care, acute care, ambulatory, and home health care settings. You will be trained in complex concepts of biological, behavioral, and social sciences in both high tech-classrooms and by engaging in actual patient care experiences. This 80 credit-hour coursework includes 25 credits of pre-requisite courses and other practical nursing courses.
The main goal of Lane Community College is to offer you student-centric, comprehensive, easily accessible, high–quality education through its dynamic programs. Its practical nurse training takes you around one to one and a half years to complete on a full-time basis. Before enrolling you will complete 23-24 credits of pre-requisite courses in medical terminology, psychology, anatomy and physiology, algebra, and math in society. After enrolling you will complete 45 credits worth of courses in core nursing and liberal arts.
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By taking up a career as an LPN you should be ready to work in diverse healthcare settings. As working with patients can be challenging and physically demanding, Snow College’s practical nursing program’s main mission is to train you to become compassionate, caring, and competent nurses. Because of the small size of the campus, you will benefit from gaining personal attention and specialized support from your instructors. Here you will study the fundamentals of nursing, maternity nursing, medical-surgical nursing, mental health, general psychology, and humanities & fine arts.
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Are you thinking of joining one of the best LPN programs in the Western region? If so, you could consider Colorado Mesa University as an option. The college has the third-lowest tuition costs in the state of Colorado. What’s more? The college has also awarded as much as 79 million dollars to its students in the form of financial aid. During your journey here you will gain complete knowledge in pathophysiology, human growth & development, obstetrics & pediatrics, adult concepts, and foundations of mental health. You will complete the required coursework within two semesters.
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As a licensed vocational nurse you will work under the direction of registered nurses and doctors to deliver basic patient care. To become a part of this popular entry-level nursing career you can complete your vocational nurse training from North Orange County ROP. The curriculum offers you much needed practical training through 1000 hours of clinical experience. You will also gain the required theoretical understanding by attending 600 hours worth of classroom lectures by its expert faculty. By enrolling in a full-time schedule, you can graduate from this program in 12 months.
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The College of the Siskiyous has its Weed campus located at the foothills of the beautiful Mount Shasta in Northern California, allowing you to study in a natural environment surrounded by forests, lakes, and mountains. This 250-acre campus offers students several useful facilities such as tutoring services, career counseling, personal counseling, advanced computer labs, and financial aid assistance. The primary goal of its LVN program is to provide you a solid foundation of nursing knowledge, a thorough understanding of nursing principles, and the necessary skills required to practice nursing care competently.
17. Technical College of the Rockies - Delta, Colorado
Technical College of the Rockies’ practical nursing training has a long history of proving its graduates with high-quality coursework. The curriculum begins in the fall semester and you can enroll on a full-time basis only. Here you can graduate by earning 36 credits through courses such as pharmacology calculations, alterations in adult health, practical nursing arts & skills, mental health nursing, concepts of geriatric nursing, and maternal and newborn care. To apply your theoretical understanding into actual practice you will also complete 4 clinicals.
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Being one of the most respected fields globally, a career in nursing can provide you with a strong sense of achievement and personal satisfaction. The practical nursing program of Kapiolani Community College is designed to provide you with the technical know-how and marketable skills you need for a successful entry-level career in the healthcare industry. Before enrolling in this training, you are required to complete pre-requisite courses in English Composition, mathematics, anatomy and physiology, and human development.
