12 Best LPN Programs in Louisiana – (Online & Campus-Based)


Written By: Pattie Trumble, MPP, MPH

Ever thought about a career as a licensed practical nurse in Louisiana? LPNs are the backbones of the long-term care facilities, nursing homes, home healthcare agencies, and other healthcare facilities where they work because LPNs provide the hands-on nursing care and emotional support that patients need. As a graduate of one of the LPN programs in Louisiana, you’ll earn $47,430 annually, and your employment opportunities will rise by another 2 percent in the next decade. Many LPNs go back to school to attain their registered nursing licenses at a later date. Could this be the right professional option for you? The guide below to the 12 best LPN programs in Louisiana will give you plenty to ponder.



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

Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 12 best nursing schools for LPN programs in Louisiana.


1. Northshore Technical Community College - Hammond


Program Details: No matter where you live in south central Louisiana, Northshore Technical Community College makes it convenient to pursue your dreams of becoming a licensed practical nurse. This LPN program in Louisiana is offered at the college’s Hammond, North Oaks (Hammond), Lacombe, Livingston (Walker), Sullivan (Bogalusa), and Florida Parishes (Greensburg) campuses. Hammond and Sullivan start classes in the spring and fall; Livingston starts in the fall; and Lacombe and Florida Parishes begin in the spring.

The 51-credit program takes 18 months to complete. During the spring and fall semesters, plan on being in class Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. During the summer semester, classes meet Mondays through Thursdays, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm.

Your core nursing classes will include “Practical Nursing Foundations & Perspectives,” “Practical Nursing I, II, & III,” and “Practical Nursing Leadership & Management.” Lecture classes are paired with clinical courses, so you’ll have the opportunity to put theory into practice. Clinical rotations take place in medical facilities affiliated with the North Oaks and Oschner Health Systems, as well as other medical and long-term care providers throughout south central Louisiana. You’ll acquire hands-on skills at the Henderson-Bertolon Simulation Center, which contains manikins, high-tech equipment, and replicas of med-surg, pediatric, and neonatal intensive care units.

All applicants must take the Accuplacer-Next Generation exam. Applicants whose scores do not meet admission requirements may need to enroll in a two-week course designed to improve their college readiness.


Why Choose This Program

• Northshore Technical Community College offers an accelerated program for medical assistants who want to become licensed practical nurses.
• Are you juggling work or personal commitments during the day? NTCC’s Hammond campus offers an evening LPN pathway.
• The average four-year NCLEX-PN pass rate for Northshore Technical Community College’s LPN graduates is 90 percent.


2. Nunez Community College - Chalmette


Program Details: Nunez Community College’s 66-credit licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana offers a solid foundation in nursing theory that enhances students’ ability to perform patient care. Applicants must submit either ACT or Accuplacer-Next Generation exam scores to be considered for admission.

In addition to six credits of general education requirements, you’ll take 60 credits of core nursing courses, including classes like “Med-Surg Nursing I & II,” “Mental Health Nursing,” and “Nursing Care of Children Theory.” Lecture courses are coupled with clinical classes; you’ll take “Mental Health Nursing Theory” and “Mental Health Nursing Clinical” in the same semester, which will give you the opportunity to apply theoretical nursing concepts to real-world practice. Nunez Community College has a sophisticated nursing simulation lab with hospital equipment and programmable manikins. You’ll participate in supervised patient care experiences at New Orleans East Hospital and other LCMC Health facilities, as well as long-term care settings, hospitals, and physician practices throughout New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish.


Why Choose This Program

• Are you an ancillary healthcare worker who’s interested in moving up the professional ladder? Nunez Community College offers flexible scheduling to New Orleans East Hospital employees so they can earn their LPN diplomas while keeping their jobs!
• For more than 10 years, Nunez Community College’s LPN program has maintained a 100 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-PN exam.


3. SOWELA Technical Community College - Lake Charles


Program Details: The 48.5-credit curriculum of SOWELA Technical Community College’s LPN program in Louisiana relies upon a framework that integrates holistic nursing and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Students enrolled in this program take the same core nursing coursework as associate nursing degree students. The only real difference between the LPN and ADN curricula is that ADN students complete general education coursework that LPN Technical Diploma students are not required to take.

You’ll take classes like “Medical-Surgical Nursing I, II, & III,” “Pediatric Nursing,” and “Mental Health Concepts.” Like many other LPN programs in Louisiana, SOWELA complements most lecture courses with clinical classes that give you the opportunity to use what you’re learning in patient care situations. SOWELA’s immersive simulation lab, located in the H.C. Drew Nursing and Allied Health Building, houses realistic manikins that can be programmed to mimic health conditions; medical interns and residents from nearby hospitals also use this sophisticated simulation lab. You’ll do clinical rotations at Louisiana State University Health’s Memorial Family Medicine Center and other long-term care and medical settings throughout metro Lake Charles.

All applicants must take either the ACT or the ACCUPLACER-Next Generation entrance exam. SOWELA offers its LPN pathway at its Lake Charles and Lamar Salter campuses each fall and at its Morgan Smith and Oakdale campuses every odd-numbered year in the fall.


Why Choose This Program

• Is licensed practical nursing just the first step of your nursing career? SOWELA offers an LPN-to-RN program.
• More than 94 percent of the students who choose SOWELA’s LPN nursing option pass the NCLEX-PN exam.
• Students who drop out of this licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana but demonstrate the nursing skills described in the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 and complete 40 hours of clinical experience may qualify for a nursing assistant certificate.


4. South Louisiana Community College – Lafayette


Program Details: South Louisiana Community College offers two ways of becoming a licensed practical nurse: You can earn a Technical Diploma in Practical Nursing or an Associate of Applied Science in Practical Nursing. The associate degree pathway contains 15 credits of additional general education classes. Both pathways offer starting dates in the spring and fall at South Louisiana Community College’s campuses in Crowley, Ville Platte, St. Martinville, Abbeville, Lafayette, Opelousas, and Morgan City. Lafayette also offers evening courses for aspiring LPNs whose busy schedules make attending school during the day difficult. All applicants must either take the ACT exam (and score over 19 in math, over 20 in reading, and over 18 in English) or the Accuplacer-Next Generation exam (and score over 250 in algebra, reading, and English.)

With either of these licensed practical nursing programs in Louisiana, you’ll enroll in foundational nursing classes like “Basic Pharmacology,” “Care of Medical Surgical Disorders I, II, & III,” and “Pediatrics & Obstetrics.” You’ll learn and fine-tune hands-on skills in South Louisiana Community College’s Healing Arts Laboratory, a 25-bed hospital simulation facility equipped with two dozen manikins that can be programmed to give students physiological feedback. Once you’re confident in your skills, you’ll go on to clinical rotations at Regional Medical Center of Acadiana, Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital, Lafayette General Health, and other healthcare providers throughout Acadiana.


Why Choose This Program

• South Louisiana Community College is rolling out an innovative home health care training model for LPN students that includes home health simulation training labs on each of the college’s campuses.
• This LPN program in Louisiana offers a three-semester LPN-to-RN Bridge program at the T.H. Harris campus in Opelousas.


5. Fletcher Technical Community College - Schriever


Program Details: Fletcher Technical Community College’s high NCLEX-PN pass rates, affordability, and personalized attention to students make it one of the best LPN programs in Louisiana. You’ll combine classroom instruction with focused skills labs, supervised clinical experiences at accredited healthcare facilities, and service learning opportunities over five semesters to complete this 64-credit nursing curriculum.

Classes begin every fall. Applicants must have a minimum score on either the ACT (18) or the Accuplacer-Next Generation (250) exam before they will be invited to take the ATI TEAS exam, which determines whether or not they’ll be accepted into this licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana.

The curriculum is comprised of courses like “Basic Pharmacology,” “Medical Surgical Nursing I, II, & III,” and “Professionalism for Practical Nursing.” After successfully completing the “Nursing Fundamentals I” and “Nursing Perspectives” courses, you can apply for certification as a nurse’s aide.

Fletcher Technical Community College uses simulation technology to teach students critical thinking, which students can access either at the college or from their homes. The college also maintains an on-campus nursing lab with hospital equipment and high-tech manikins where students can hone their bedside skills. You’ll participate in clinical experiences providing supervised care to patients at skilled nursing facilities and acute care centers throughout the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Area.


Why Choose This Program

• LPN graduates at Fletcher Technical Community College have a three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 100 percent.
• Not sure how you can afford this LPN program? LPN students at Fletcher Technical Community College may qualify for tuition assistance through the M.J. Foster Promise Program and grants from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
• Why stop with an LPN? Fletcher Technical Community College offers an LPN-to-Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) track.


6. Louisiana State University Shreveport - Shreveport


Program Details: A lengthy record of near-perfect NCLEX-PN pass rates and clinical rotations at the university’s own system of healthcare facilities make the LPN program at Louisiana State University one of the best licensed practical nursing programs in Louisiana. This program starts in January and August. For admission, you’ll need to write a one-page essay explaining how LSU Shreveport can help you meet your professional goals and take either the Accuplacer, Accuplacer-Next Generation, TABE, or ACT entrance exam.

The three-semester program, a challenging combination of instructional lectures, skills labs, and supervised patient care experiences, involves 730 lecture hours and 810 clinical hours. Lecture coursework includes classes like “Practical Nursing and The Nursing Process,” “Medical Surgical Nursing I & II,” and “Pediatrics.” You’ll also take more clinically oriented courses focusing on nutrition, IV therapy, and medical math. Instructional classes meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while clinical rotations are scheduled from 6:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

You’ll learn skills ranging from bed-making to IV administration in LSU Shreveport’s nursing lab, which has emergency and medication carts as well as 15 hospital beds, fully equipped with functioning fixtures. You’ll perform clinical rotations at BRFHH University Health Shreveport, Overton Brooks Veterans Administration Medical Center, and healthcare facilities associated with the LSU Health System.


Why Choose This Program

• Graduates of LSU Shreveport’s LPN program maintain an average NCLEX-PN pass rate of 96 percent.
• Why not become a registered nurse while you’re at it? While plans for an LPN-to-RN bridge are still in the future at LSU Shreveport, your course credits will transfer seamlessly to the LPN-to-ASN programs at LSU-Alexandria and LSU-Eunice.


7. Central Louisiana Technical Community College - Alexandria


Program Details: Central Louisiana Technical Community College offers its licensed practical nursing program at its Alexandria, Ferriday, Huey P. Long, Ward H. Nash Avoyelles, Rod Brady, and MacArthur Extension campuses. This LPN program in Louisiana has two tracks: a 58-credit Practical Nursing Technical Diploma and a 73-credit Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Practical Nursing. If you choose the ASN option, you’ll complete the same foundational nursing courses, but you’ll take five additional general education courses.

To accommodate the needs of working students, CLTCC offers an evening as well as daytime course of study. Evening lecture classes take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., while Saturdays are dedicated to skills labs and clinical experiences. The daytime course of study starts in the fall, while the evening course of study begins in the spring. To enter this program, all applicants must achieve minimum scores on either the ACT or Accuplacer-Next Generation exam.

Coursework includes classes like “Advanced Nursing Fundamentals,” “Medical Surgical Nursing I, II, & III,” and “Practical Nursing Professionalism, Leadership & Management.” You’ll attain familiarity with the hands-on skills essential to the LPN scope of practice in simulation labs furnished with advanced healthcare equipment. CLTCC partners with nursing homes, acute care facilities, and other healthcare providers throughout Rapides, Winn, La Salle, Vernon, Concordia, and Avoyelles Parishes.


Why Choose This Program

• Once you complete the first 45 hours of Central Louisiana Technical Community College’s curriculum, you’re eligible to become a certified nursing assistant.
• Want to keep on going with your nursing education? CLTCC LPN graduates qualify to transfer into Fletcher Technical Community College’s LPN-to-ASN program.
• Wondering how to pay for your LPN education at Central Louisiana Technical Community College? You may qualify for financial assistance through the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) or Louisiana GO initiatives.


8. Louisiana Delta Community College - Monroe


Program Details: Louisiana Delta Community College’s licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana is renowned for the quality of the supervised patient care experiences it offers its students. The college counts Richland, Franklin, St. Francis, and Ochsner’s Medical Centers, University Health Conway, and Willow Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation Center among its clinical partners. The 58-credit program is taught at LDCC’s campuses in Bastrop, Lake Providence, Ruston, Tallulah, and Winnsboro. To qualify for acceptance, you must achieve acceptable minimum scores on the ACT or the Accuplacer-Next Generation exam.

Required coursework includes “Basic Pharmacology,” “Medical Surgical I, II, & III,” and “Mental Illness/Psychiatric Nursing.” You’ll also take a course that prepares you for the employment search ahead by teaching you how to evaluate job postings and put together a resume. LDCC recently opened a new nursing simulation lab at its Bastrop campus, which is equipped with hospital technology and programmable patient manikins. Students typically complete this program in two years.


Why Choose This Program

• Wondering how you’ll finance your LPN education? Louisiana Delta Community College’s LPN students may qualify for tuition subsidies through the MJ Foster Promise Program.
• Is earning an LPN just the first step on the nursing ladder? Louisiana Delta Community College offers an LPN-to-RN Bridge pathway.


9. Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College - Minden


Program Details: Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College’s experienced faculty and state-of-the-art facilities provide a supportive learning environment for your LPN educational journey. In addition to core nursing courses like “Basic & Advanced Pharmacology,” “Medical Surgical I, II, & III,” and “Obstetrics,” you’ll take more pragmatic classes in computer literacy and IV therapy, too. This licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana is offered at all three NLTCC campuses in Minden, Mansfield, and Shreveport.

If you apply to this program, you must take the Accuplacer exam or an alternative entry-level test. This LPN program begins each fall, but there are some prerequisite pre-nursing courses you’ll need to take before you enroll in nursing courses, and these may take a semester or more to complete.

Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College has a nursing lab where you’ll learn the hands-on skills you’ll need to depend upon throughout your LPN career. Once you’re comfortable with your level of clinical competency, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in clinical rotations at nursing homes, hospitals, and other healthcare agencies throughout Minden and Shreveport.


Why Choose This Program

• Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College is invested in helping its LPN students meet their educational goals and provides tutoring and academic advising that will help you stay on track.
• As an LPN student at NLTCC, you may qualify for tuition assistance through the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, or the Louisiana Go Grant Initiative.


10. Delgado Community College - New Orleans


Program Details: Delgado Community College knows how vital direct patient care is in a licensed practical nurse’s education! Clinical experiences make up more than 50 percent of this LPN program’s hours. Delgado partners with prestigious New Orleans healthcare facilities like University Medical Center (LCMC Health), Ochsner-Baptist, Ochsner–Kenner, and Slidell Memorial Hospital to provide LPN students with clinical rotations. The college’s Ochsner Center for Nursing and Allied Health, where you’ll be introduced to essential nursing skills, houses a state-of-the-art simulation lab designed to replicate a hospital unit and populated with programable manikins.

Classes start in the spring and fall. The 59-credit curriculum is comprised of prerequisites and foundational nursing courses like “Pharmacotherapy and Nursing,” “Medical-Surgical Nursing I, III, and III,” and “Pediatric, Obstetrical, and Mental Health Nursing for Practical Nursing.” You must maintain a grade point average of 80 percent or higher to remain in this program. Delgado Community College requires all applicants to take a Kaplan Pre-Nursing exam before they can apply.


Why Choose This Program

• Delgado Community College’s Charity School of Nursing is the oldest and largest nursing school in the State of Louisiana.
• Delgado Community College’s average pass rate on the NCLEX-PN is 100 percent.
• Is moving up the professional ladder important to you? Delgado Community College has a highly regarded LPN-to-RN transition option.


11. Baton Rouge Community College - Baton Rouge


Program Details: Want to earn an LPN Technical Diploma in four semesters? Baton Rouge Community College’s LPN program in Louisiana, a 59-credit pathway that integrates classroom instruction, practical skills labs, and supervised patient care experiences at some of the finest healthcare providers in metro Baton Rouge, will help you achieve your goal! Classes start every fall on the Acadian campus. You’ll also have to complete a semester of pre-nursing required courses, which applicants are only allowed to take if their ACT, Accuplacer, Accuplacer-Next Generation, or TEAS scores are above a certain minimum.

You’ll enroll in courses like “Medical-Surgical I, II, & III,” “Obstetrics and Pediatric Nursing,” and “Practical Nurse Perspectives.” Baton Rouge Community College’s sophisticated nursing simulation lab features a state-of-the-art replica of a hospital unit where you’ll learn basic hands-on tasks such as obtaining vital signs and administering medications. You’ll pursue clinical rotations at medical facilities associated with Our Lady of the Lake Health and other healthcare agencies throughout metropolitan Baton Rouge.


Why Choose This Program

• Interested in continuing your climb up the nursing ladder after you’ve earned your LPN diploma? You can receive credit for your LPN experience when you enroll in BRCC’s LPN-to-RN entry track.
• LPN graduates from Baton Rouge Community College have outstanding NCLEX-PN pass rates.


12. Infinity College - Lafayette


Program Details: Infinity College’s licensed practical nursing program in Louisiana blends nursing theory with hands-on learning in a curriculum comprised of 748 instructional hours, 144 lab hours, and 800 clinical hours. For 16 months, you’ll spend Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. taking courses like “Med-Surgical Nursing I, II, & III,” “Pediatric Nursing,” and “Mental Health.” Most lecture courses are paired with a clinical class that allows you to actualize the theoretical knowledge you’ve been learning; thus, you’ll take “Maternal Nursing” and “Maternal Nursing Clinical” in the same semester. Infinity College also dedicates an entire class to NCLEX-PN review.

All applicants must take the Accuplacer entrance exam, and applicants whose scores meet the requirements will be invited to interview. Classes begin each September. Cutting-edge simulation labs provide you with an immersive setting in which to learn essential nursing skills. Once you master these skills, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue supervised patient care experiences within a network of diverse healthcare partners throughout Lafayette and other parts of Acadiana.


Why Choose This Program

• 92 percent of the graduates of this LPN program in Louisiana pass the NCLEX-PN on their first try.
• Infinity College’s LPN students may qualify for tuition subsidies from the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) and the MJ Foster Promise Program.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY



Frequently Asked Questions Answered By Our Expert


1. Who Accredits LPN Programs In Louisiana?


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 Louisiana?


Hourly$18.85
Weekly$754
Monthly$3,270
Annual$39,200
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


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


Hourly$24.86
Weekly$994
Monthly$4,310
Annual$51,700
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


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


Average Louisiana
LPN Annual Salary
Average National
LPN Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
$51,700$60,790-$9,090-14.95%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


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


MetroHourlyWeeklyMonthlyAnnual
Alexandria$24.65$986$4,270$51,280
Baton Rouge$25.80$1,032$4,470$53,670
Hammond$24.22$969$4,200$50,380
Houma-Thibodaux$24.13$965$4,180$50,180
Lafayette$22.28$891$3,860$46,340
Lake Charles$23.75$950$4,120$49,410
Monroe$25.63$1,025$4,440$53,320
New Orleans-Metairie$27.27$1,091$4,730$56,730
Shreveport-Bossier City$25.50$1,020$4,420$53,030
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


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


OccupationEmploymentNew Employment
Growth (2020-2030)
20202030Number%
LPN18,97019,320+350+1.85%
(Source: Careeronestop.org)


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


OccupationNewReplacementAnnual Job Openings
(New + Replacement)
LPN351,4451,480
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


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.




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