11 Best LPN Programs in Iowa – (Online & Campus-Based)


Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

All you need to enroll in an LPN school in Iowa is a high school education. You can graduate from most LPN programs in Iowa in 12 months or less; once you do, you’ll be on your way to a fulfilling career where you’ll earn $51,400 a year. Many licensed practical nurses use their LPN licenses to gain experience in the healthcare industry before going back to school to earn a higher nursing degree. However, LPNs are a highly valued part of the Cornhusker State’s healthcare system on their own. Demand for LPN services will rise by 14 percent in the coming decade. Sound intriguing? More information is in the guide below to the 11 best LPN programs in Iowa.



WHAT ARE THE BEST LPN PROGRAMS IN IOWA (ONLINE AND CAMPUS)?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 11 best nursing schools for LPN programs in Iowa.


1. Kirkwood Community College - Cedar Rapids


Program Details: While Kirkwood Community College doesn’t have a stand-alone licensed practical nursing program, students enrolled in the college’s traditional associate nursing degree can take the NCLEX-PN following their first year of core nursing courses. This LPN program in Iowa begins three times a year in the fall, spring, and summer at the college’s main campus in Cedar Rapids. All applicants must be certified nursing assistants in the state of Iowa. You must complete all program prerequisites prior to submitting your application.

You must complete 46 credits of core nursing coursework, including such classes as “Foundations of Nursing I & II,” “Pharmacology I & II, and “Nursing Care of the Growing Family,” before you can earn your LPN license. You’ll master hands-on nursing skills at the Katz Family Healthcare Simulation Center, a learning laboratory that’s so cutting-edge nearby healthcare facilities use it to train their own employees. You’ll pursue practicums and other clinical experiences at UnityPoint Health, St. Luke’s Hospital, and five other healthcare facilities in the metro Cedar Rapids region.


Why Choose This Program

• As part of its Nursing Promise Program, St. Luke’s Hospital will assist you with your tuition if you agree to work at St. Luke’s for 18 months once you attain your LPN license.
• Ready to progress from LPN to registered nurse? Kirkwood Community College has an LPN-to-ADN pathway that will give qualified licensed practical nurses advanced placement into its traditional ADN program.
• The four-year NCLEX-PN pass rate for Kirkwood Community College LPN graduates is 100 percent, proving this program is one of the best LPN programs in Iowa.


2. Southwestern Community College - Creston


Program Details: Like many other LPN programs in Iowa, at Southwestern Community College, you’ll earn your licensed practical nursing diploma by completing the first year of the college’s traditional associate nursing degree program. Courses begin in the fall semester. You must complete all prerequisites before you apply to the program. Because the LPN pathway is the first fork on the ADN track, you’ll also need to score 62 or higher on the TEAS exam to enter this program.

If you enroll initially in the ADN program, you’ll need to complete 44 credits of LPN-specific courses like Pharmacology, Medical Surgical Nursing I, and Maternal Child Health 1. The college recently launched a one-year stand-alone LPN pathway. This 42-credit licensed professional nursing curriculum offers a three-part “Practical Nursing” course.

Southwestern Community College’s simulation lab uses virtual reality to help familiarize you with patient care scenarios you may not encounter during clinicals, as well as task trainers, sophisticated medical technology, and programmable patient simulators to help you learn essential nursing skills. You’ll participate in supervised patient care experiences at extended care centers, clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare agencies throughout Creston and other communities in the Mississippi/Missouri River basins.


Why Choose This Program

• For the past four years, Southwestern Community’s pass rates for the NCLEX-PN have averaged 93 percent.
• Want to continue your nursing education? Qualified LPNs may be able to join Southwestern Community College’s traditional ADN program at the beginning of its second year.


3. Indian Hills Community College - Ottumwa


Program Details: Indian Hills Community College’s licensed practical nursing program in Iowa has two tracks. The first comprises the first year of the college’s associate nursing degree. However, it’s not a traditional tiered program since once you attain your LPN diploma, you’ll only be able to continue with the ADN if openings exist in that program. The second LPN track is a stand-alone program. Both tracks begin in the fall at the Ottumwa campus. Applicants must take one of the following entrance exams: Accuplacer-Next Generation (with a minimum score of 750), SAT (with a minimum score of 960), or ACT (with a minimum score of 20.)

Courses like “Fundamentals of Nursing A & B,” “Acute and Chronic Nursing Conditions A & B,” and “Practical Nursing Seminar” will teach you technical nursing skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, and teamwork. You’ll get experiences delivering patient care at Ottumwa Regional Health, Center MercyOne Centerville Medical Center, and other healthcare centers throughout south central Iowa. First, though, you’ll hone your hands-on skills at Indian Hills Community College’s recently completed nursing simulation lab, which is equipped with medical technology and programmable manikins.


Why Choose This Program

• Students pursuing this LPN program in Iowa may qualify for free tuition through the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship.
• LPN students at Indian Hills Community College have a five-year NCLEX-PN average pass rate that exceeds 96 percent.


4. Southeastern Community College - West Burlington


Program Details: You’ll be able to tackle Southeastern Community College’s LPN pathway at either of its two campuses in West Burlington or Keokuk. This licensed practical nursing program in Iowa accepts new students in the spring, summer, and fall.

This is another one of the licensed practical nursing programs in Iowa that requires you to be a currently certified nursing assistant before it will consider your LPN application. Additionally, you’ll have to score the required minimum score on one of four entrance exams: the ACT (20), the SAT (1040), the Accuplacer-Next Generation (reading/writing 330, math 510), or the ALEKS (math 14.) You’ll also have to complete three prerequisites.

Courses like “Introduction to Nursing Practice,” “Nursing I & II,” and “Practical Nursing Issues and Trends” will prepare you for the challenges of delivering essential nursing care to individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan. Southeastern Community College’s nursing simulation lab is equipped with high-tech manikins and replicas of hospital units—it even has a realistic emergency room setup! Clinical partnerships with healthcare providers like Memorial Hospital (Carthage, Illinois), Southeast Iowa Regional Hospital, and Henry County Health Center allow Southeastern Community College to schedule supervised patient care experiences at some of the most prestigious medical facilities throughout the West Burlington Iowa/Illinois Micropolitan Area.


Why Choose This Program

• For three years in a row, LPN graduates from Southeastern Community College have passed the NCLEX-PN exam with 100 percent on their first attempts.
• This program meets the requirements for professional LPN licensure in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.
• Want to keep going with your nursing education? Southeastern Community College offers both a full-time and part-time LPN-to-ADN option.


5. Northwest Iowa Community College - Sheldon


Program Details: Acceptance into Northwest Iowa Community College’s licensed practical nursing program hinges on possessing a 76-hour Certified Nurse Aide Certificate. You’ll also need to take the HESI A2 entrance examination and complete all prerequisite courses. This LPN program in Iowa is taught at NICC’s main campus in Sheldon, and a new cohort is admitted each fall.

NICC also offers a three-semester extended LPN program for students whose work or family responsibilities necessitate more flexibility in their educational schedule.

If you are someone who learns by doing, this may be one of the best licensed practical nursing programs in Iowa because Northwest Iowa Community College emphasizes the application of practical skills. The college uses the “tipped class” model in which students are expected to catch up on theoretical knowledge independently and use limited in-class time to develop clinical competencies. The 45-credit curriculum includes core nursing classes like “Foundations of Nursing,” “Nursing Concepts I,” and “Practical Nursing IA,” and takes just two semesters to complete.

Northwest Iowa Community College’s mobile simulation lab is equipped with sophisticated medical technology and high-fidelity manikins; it’s available for training purposes from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in supervised patient care through clinical rotations at Community Memorial Health Center-Hartley, Sioux Center Community Hospital, Osceola Community Hospital, and other healthcare facilities throughout Sheldon and other communities in northwestern Iowa.


Why Choose This Program

• Students accepted into Northwest Iowa Community College’s LPN program may qualify for free tuition through the Future Ready Iowa Scholarships initiative.
• Want to continue your nursing education? Northwest Iowa Community College offers a hybrid Extended Associate Degree Nursing completion program for LPNs.
• For four years running, 100 percent of Northwest Iowa Community’s LPN graduates have passed the NCLEX-PN.


6. Hawkeye Community College - Waterloo


Program Details: The LPN program at Hawkeye Community College comprises the first two terms of the college’s associate nursing degree program. This licensed practical nursing program in Iowa accepts new students in the spring and fall, and you can opt for either full-time or part-time enrollment. All applicants must meet minimum score requirements on either the ALEKS, Accuplacer-Next Generation, Compass, or ACT entrance exam. You must complete all prerequisites before you submit your application.

Foundational nursing coursework consists of classes like “Introduction to Nursing,” “Basic Health Alterations A & B,” and “Issues and Trends in Practical Nursing Leadership.” You’ll also take four clinical courses as well as an introductory nursing skills lab course. Classes meet on weekday mornings and afternoons at the college’s main campus in Waterloo.

You’ll participate in practicums and other clinical experiences in clinics, hospitals, and community health agencies throughout Waterloo and nearby Cedar Falls. First, though, you’ll hone your essential bedside skills in HCC’s Van Gerpen Patient Simulator Laboratory. This cutting-edge learning environment replicates a range of hospital settings and is equipped with high-tech manikins.


Why Choose This Program

• If you’re accepted into this LPN program in Iowa, you may be eligible for the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, which will pay part or all of your tuition.
• Want to take your practical nursing education to the next level? Hawkeye Community College has an LPN transfer track that will allow you to go on and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Upper Iowa University.


7. Iowa Central Community College - Fort Dodge


Program Details: Like many other LPN programs in Iowa, Iowa Central Community College’s licensed practical nursing program consists of the first two semesters of its ADN program. Students enrolled in the ADN program have the option of earning an LPN diploma, but it’s not compulsory. If you decide to get your LPN diploma and sit for the NCLEX-PN exam, you can continue with the ADN program, but again, it isn’t mandatory.

This licensed practical nursing program in Iowa starts each fall at the college’s campuses in Fort Dodge, Storm Lake, and Webster City. You can also begin in the spring at the Fort Dodge campus. All applicants must complete a prerequisite nursing aide training course and achieve a required minimum score on a standardized entrance exam like the ALEKS, Accuplacer-Next Generation, ASSET, or ACT.

Courses like “Applied Nursing Practice I & II” and “Nursing Theory I & II” will teach you how to apply critical thinking to the real-life situations you’ll encounter as a licensed practical nurse. The college’s nursing simulation lab has nine patient simulators that can mimic a full spectrum of health conditions, including one high-tech manikin entirely powered by artificial intelligence. Iowa Central Community College partners with highly regarded healthcare facilities like Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, Unity Point Health-Trinity Regional Medical Center, and Southfield Wellness Community for clinical rotations.


Why Choose This Program

• Ready to become a registered nurse? Iowa Central Community College offers advanced standing into its associate nursing program for licensed practical nurses who want to continue their nursing education.
• Iowa Central Community College’s LPN graduates are top scorers on the NCLEX-PN, with an average five-year pass rate of 96 percent.


8. Iowa Valley Community College District - Marshalltown


Program Details: The Iowa Valley Community College District oversees three community colleges: Marshalltown Community College, Ellsworth Community College, and Iowa Valley Community College. Each college offers an LPN program.

All three colleges use the ladder model for their entry-level nursing education programs. Students in these nursing education programs must earn a practical nursing diploma before they can continue on with their ADN studies. This licensed practical nursing program in Iowa uses either the ACT or the TEAS as entrance exams. Iowa Valley Community College District’s nursing programs are only open to applicants who can document that they’ve completed CNA certification. New classes begin each fall at the colleges’ main campuses in Marshalltown, Iowa Falls, and Grinnell.

The 29.5-credit curriculum entails courses like “Nursing Care of the Adult Client I & II,” “Mental Health Concepts,” and “Leadership and Professional Nursing.” Hands-on nursing labs train you in a range of patient care experiences. You’ll participate in clinical rotations at central Iowa clinics, hospitals, and long-term care facilities.


Why Choose This Program

• This program meets the requirements for LPN licensure in Iowa and Illinois.
• The Iowa Valley Community College District’s first-time NCLEX-PN pass rates exceed 94 percent.


9. Iowa Western Community College - Council Bluffs


Program Details: Iowa Western Community College’s LPN program focuses on making sure you get the hands-on training you’ll need to succeed as a licensed practical nurse. This LPN program in Iowa entails a full 12 hours of nursing lab exercises and experiences every week, as well as clinical rotations at the Bethany Life skilled nursing facility and other rehab centers, long-term care facilities, and hospitals in Council Bluffs and surrounding communities. You can complete this LPN pathway in two semesters.

The 43-credit program is a full-time track offered at the college’s campuses in Council Bluffs, Clarinda Center, and Shelby County. New students are admitted every fall, and the Council Bluffs campus admits an additional cohort in the spring. Iowa Western Community College also offers its LPN program as a hybrid pathway with online lecture courses, in-person skills labs, and clinical rotations.

Applicants must take the TEAS entrance exam. If you’re not a certified nursing aide, you must take a CNA course. Your curriculum will include classes like “Foundations of Nursing I & II,” “Health Assessment Across the Lifespan,” and “Nursing Care of the Growing Family.” Iowa Western Community College’s simulation lab is designed to resemble a medical care situation—with hospital units, a nursing station, a medication room, and even a facsimile apartment where you can practice home care skills.

Iowa Western Community College’s LPN program is part of its associate nursing degree track, so you have the option of continuing your nursing education after you earn your technical diploma.


Why Choose This Program

• Iowa Western Community College’s LPN graduates have an impressive five-year NCLEX-PN pass rate higher than 95 percent.
• Students in this licensed practical nursing program in Iowa can have all or part of their tuition subsidized through the Future Ready Iowa, Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship initiative.


10. Western Iowa Tech Community College - Sioux City


Program Details: Western Iowa Tech Community College’s licensed practical nursing program is the middle station in a three-part progression that optimally proceeds from CNA to LPN to ADN-educated RN. The program is offered in the fall and spring at the Sioux City, Cherokee, and Denison campuses. WITCC also offers a hybrid LPN pathway that offers lecture courses via distance technology. This LPN program in Iowa is only open to applicants who reside within 50 miles of Cherokee or Denison or 75 miles of Sioux City. All applicants must take either the ACT or the TEAS entrance exam.

All LPN students take a course called “The College Experience” that prepares them for the challenges of upper-level learning. Core nursing courses in the 36-credit curriculum are a two-part “Nursing” sequence that includes lectures and clinical experiences. The college partners with well-respected hospitals, clinics, and extended care facilities throughout the Greater Siouxland Metro to provide LPN students with clinical rotation opportunities. First, though, students learn essential hands-on skills in WITCC’s well-equipped nursing labs.


Why Choose This Program

• Are you a working LPN who wants to become an RN? Licensed practical nurses may qualify for advanced placement into the second year of Western Iowa Tech Community College’s associate nursing degree program.
• The NCLEX-PN pass rate for WITCC’s LPN grads is greater than 90 percent.


11. North Iowa Area Community College - Mason City


Program Details: North Iowa Area Community College offers a stand-alone study plan for aspiring LPNs. Its curriculum consists of 43 to 47 credits, which will take three semesters to complete. Like many other LPN pathways in the Hawkeye State, this licensed practical nursing program in Iowa is only open to certified nursing aides. You’ll also have to take the Accuplacer entrance exam.

The core nursing curriculum consists of a three-part “Practical Nursing” class that integrates clinical experiences and lecture components. The college administers a state-of-the-art Health Simulation Center equipped with programmable manikins, giving students a safe place to learn the essential nursing techniques they must know for a successful LPN career. You’ll participate in supervised patient care experiences through clinical rotations in long-term care settings, hospitals, and other healthcare agencies throughout Mason City and other communities across northcentral Iowa.


Why Choose This Program

• North Iowa Area Community College’s LPN graduates have had a 96 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-PN for five years.
• Looking for ways to keep climbing the professional nursing ladder? North Iowa Area Community College gives qualified LPNs advanced placement into its traditional ADN program on a space-available basis.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY



Frequently Asked Questions Answered By Our Expert


1. Who Accredits LPN Programs In Iowa?


S.No.Accrediting Body
1Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


2. What Is The Starting Salary For New Graduates Of These Programs In Iowa?


Hourly$22.33
Weekly$893
Monthly$3,870
Annual$46,440
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


3. What Is The Average Salary For LPN Nurses In Iowa?


Hourly$26.86
Weekly$1,074
Monthly$4,660
Annual$55,870
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


4. Average LPN Salary In Iowa VS. Average LPN Salary In The Nation: Who Earns More?


Average Iowa
LPN Annual Salary
Average National
LPN Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
$55,870$60,790-$4,920-8.09%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


5. What Is The Metro-Wise Average LPN Salary In Iowa?


MetroHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Ames$27.23$1,089$4,720$56,640
Cedar Rapids$27.32$1,093$4,740$56,820
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island$27.27$1,091$4,730$56,730
Des Moines-West Des Moines$28.07$1,123$4,870$58,390
Dubuque$26.63$1,065$4,620$55,390
Iowa City$26.55$1,062$4,600$55,230
Sioux City$27.00$1,080$4,680$56,170
Waterloo-Cedar Falls$25.76$1,030$4,470$53,580
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


6. What Is The Job Outlook For LPN Graduates In Iowa?


OccupationEmploymentNew Employment
Growth (2020-2030)
20202030Number%
LPN6,4307,330+900+14.00%
(Source: Careeronestop.org)


7. How Many Job Openings Are There For Graduates Of These Programs In Iowa?


OccupationNewReplacementAnnual Job Openings
(New + Replacement)
LPN90520610
(Source: Careeronestop.org)


Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH
Pattie Trumble is a nurse who worked in both California and New York for many years as an emergency room nurse. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Associate Degree in Nursing from the Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing. After 10 years of providing direct care, she went back to school and earned concurrent Master’s degrees in both public policy and public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Thereafter, she worked for various public health agencies in California at both the community and state levels providing economic and legislative analysis.




Nearby States




Other Iowa Nursing Pages