15 Best LPN Programs in Missouri – (Online & Campus-Based)

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

As a graduate of one of the LPN programs in Missouri, you’ll be entering a profession that’s expected to grow nearly 3 percent over the next 10 years. Your average salary will be $49,500 annually, and you’ll have your choice of jobs in nursing homes, hospitals and home healthcare agencies. The educators behind the Show Me State’s LPN nursing school understand their students need flexible scheduling options, so you’ll be able to choose between online and campus programs, or attending full-time or part-time as your other responsibilities allow. Sound interesting? Keep reading the information below about the 15 best LPN programs in Missouri for 2024.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE HEALTHCARE SCHOOLS

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

Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 15 best nursing schools for LPN programs in Missouri.

1) State Fair Community College - Eldon & Sedalia

The learning experience for nursing students at State Fair Community College is well-aided by technology and multimedia solutions. For example, classes use smart technologies while labs are fully equipped with the latest e-instruction software. Further, the nursing club of the college conducts several co-curricular activities that help in the all-round development of students.

This one-year long LPN program at State Fair is a 55.5 credit hour course and is offered at its Eldon and Sedalia campuses. The session at Eldon begins in January while classes at Sedalia start twice, in January and August. You are required to complete prerequisite courses with a minimum 2.75 GPA, while for the overall course; a minimum 2.5 GPA is necessary to graduate. You have an option to pursue a registered nurse degree program after completing your practical nursing certificate. In addition to these courses, the college also offers programs in allied streams such as medical assisting and medical laboratory technician.

2) Ozarks Technical Community College - Lebanon, Springfield & Table Rock

Ozarks Technical Community College provides the flexibility of choice to students as it offers its practical nursing program at multiple locations. The college boasts an impressive placement record in addition to holding the distinction of 100% passing rate for NCLEX-PN exam in 2018. With a range of nursing care and healthcare courses, the college provides diversified career prospects to healthcare aspirants.

The college’s practical nursing program is 11-months long and offered at Lebanon (session starts in January), Springfield (session starts in August and January), and Table Rock (session starts in August) campuses. The curriculum is designed to train you professionally on aspects of nursing care, communication, and leadership skills, reading distress signs, and administering medication, among others. To complete this 49 credit hours course, you are required to secure a minimum “C” grade in all the nursing subjects.

3) North Central Missouri College - Bethany, Maryville & Trenton

Counted among the top-ranked colleges in Missouri, North Central Missouri College offers a conducive learning environment for students. The college provides a comprehensive training regime for nursing students to help them in recognizing physiological as well as psychological needs of patients.

The 11-month long LPN program offered by the college runs at three campuses – Maryville (35 seats), Trenton (65 seats) and Bethany (15 seats). While the former two, start the session in August and end in July, the latter runs Night/Weekend course between January and December. The 22 credit hours core coursework is well-divided between theory classes, lab practical and hands-on training sessions. After successful completion, you can apply for the Associate degree program in nursing, should you choose to continue your academic pursuit. Alternatively, you can start working as a practical nurse in a variety of healthcare settings including clinics, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers, among others.

4) Jefferson College - Hillsboro

Since its inception in 1963, Jefferson College runs many community service initiatives which help the nursing aspirants to inculcate the values of service, help, and humanity amongst them. Some other features that make this college stand-out include a vibrant student community, experienced faculty members, and cost-effective study programs.

This LPN program in Missouri is offered in both full-time (day) and part-time (evening/weekend) formats. While the former starts in fall and runs for 12 months, latter initiate the classes in spring and takes 24 months to complete. The curriculum for this 56.5-58.5 credit hours course blends theoretical instructions and clinical sessions for providing a holistic learning experience to students. Being a bi-level program, this course allows you to progress to an RN degree program in the second year, provided you meet all requirements for progression.

5) Bolivar Technical College - Bolivar

Bolivar Technical College prepares you for a promising career in the healthcare field through its LPN program. The college has an excellent track record in placement, and its students have consistently performed well on the NCLEX-PN examination. The flexible timing of the program makes it suitable for all types of nursing aspirants including working professionals.

The one-year long practical nursing course offered by the college is divided into three semesters – the first semester focuses on nursing care fundamentals and safety, the second semester emphasizes on anatomy and hands-on training, and the third semester provides in-depth information on the human body system, besides preparing students for NCLEX-PN. The classes and clinical sessions are scheduled twice in a week and allow you to fulfill your other commitments along with the study. To successfully earn the certificate, you have to secure a minimum of 80% in all the nursing courses.

6) Lex La-Ray Technical Center - Lexington

The LPN Program offered by Lex La-Ray Technical Center is unique in a sense that it combines physiological aspects of nursing care with behavioral and interpersonal psychology. The center is cognizant of changing needs in the healthcare industry and accordingly, it revises, updates, and modifies its course curriculum regularly.

The college follows the principle of small class size (29 seats) to provide personal attention to students. This 11-month long program running from August to July contains 1357 course hours which have been further divided into 916.5 theory hours and 440.5 clinical hours. To successfully earn the certificate, you must secure at least 78% in each nursing course and 80% in clinical sessions. Besides the practical nursing, the college also offers Bridge Program in LPN to Associate Degree in Nursing.

7) South Central Career Center - West Plains

South Central Career Center is well-known for producing quality nursing professionals. Expert faculty members, trained instructors, considerate administrative staff, and excellent infrastructure help students to get most out of their program. The college focuses on experiential learning and encourages students to imbibe values like self-confidence and courtesy among others.

The 12-month LPN program has been divided into three levels – level I (16 weeks and 526 program hours), level II (14 weeks and 444 program hours), and level III (16 weeks and 504 program hours). During the training, you will get exposure to a range of subjects including nursing care, pediatrics, pharmacology, surgical nursing, psychological health, human anatomy, nutrition, communication, leadership, and management. To successfully earn the certificate, you have to score a minimum of 80% in every nursing subject.

8) Franklin Technology Center- Joplin

Started in 1957, the LPN program offered by Franklin Technology Center is the second oldest in the region and could be considered if you are willing to become an LPN in Missouri. To aid students in achieving their career goals, FTC offers a host of student support services including mentoring and counseling. Besides, the college puts a great deal of focus on developing vocational skills among nursing aspirants.

The 10-month long certificate course starts in August and culminates in May. The course contains a total of 1232 clock hours with theory and practical, accounting for 964 and 268 clock hours respectively. Classes are scheduled to be held from Monday to Thursday, and the rigorous nature of the course leaves little space for any other commitment. After graduation, you can either choose to start working in the healthcare industry or pursue higher education in the nursing field.

9) Cass Career Center- Harrisonville

The LPN program offered by Cass Career Center makes use of novel teaching methods to help students develop quality professional skills. The college provides supportive infrastructure and organizes a number of student-centric events including conferences and open house to further aid the learning process.

The course starts in August and ends in June, every year. Classes are scheduled, Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 4:00 and the curriculum contains total program hours of 1,236, divided into 816 theory hours and 420 clinical hours. The course spans across three trimesters designated as the pre-clinical block (1st trimester) and clinical blocks (2nd and 3rd trimester). During the training, you will be exposed to a range of subjects including nursing care, pediatrics, psychological well-being, and leadership, among others.

10) Mineral Area College - Park Hills

Mineral Area College is meeting the talent need of the healthcare industry by producing quality nursing professionals. The college focuses on the outcome assessment which it has designed in partnership with the industry. Instructional facilities are fully equipped, and the college has a long list of student resources to facilitate knowledge sharing.

The one-year long LPN program offered by the college is divided into three trimesters to aid learning efficiency and smooth course delivery. The curriculum contains 66 program hours for the normal track and for the advanced placement track, you are required to complete 82 program hours. The training will get you through the basic and advanced levels of nursing education and help you prepare well for the professional challenges. As a mandatory admission requirement, you have to complete 11 credit hours of prerequisite courses with a minimum C grade.

11) St. Louis College of Health Careers - Fenton

St. Louis College of Health Careers runs a number of programs in the nursing stream and attaches great importance in developing confidence and sincerity among the aspirants. Its LPN course offers in-depth coverage of therapeutic and preventive care mechanisms and trains you to handle real-world situations with aplomb.

This practical nursing certificate is a 60 weeks long course with a total credit weight of 66. The 1353 hours curriculum spreads across four semesters and trains you to perform a variety of hands-on tasks while providing nursing care to sick and needy. Clinical sessions and lab practical are an integral part of the education and will prepare you to perform well in potential emergency situations. In addition, the college also offers associate of applied science and medical assistance courses, among others.

12) Applied Technology Services - Wellston & Sunset Hills

Since its inception in 1968, Applied Technology Services has focused on imparting career-oriented professional training to students. Its LPN program offered at Wellston and Sunset Hills follows the same philosophy and encourages trainees to develop novel solutions through collaboration and exchange of ideas. Experienced faculty members are very helpful and further aid the learning process.

This 1-year long course is divided into three trimesters – first trimester with 480 classroom hours, second trimester with 224 classroom hours and 256 clinical hours, and third trimester with 256 classroom hours and 224 clinical hours. The curriculum is designed in a manner that provides quality exposure in both theoretical and practical domains. Upon graduation, you become eligible to work as an entry-level nurse under the supervision of a doctor or a registered nurse in a variety of healthcare settings.

13) Moberly Area Community College - Moberly, Mexico & Columbia

Moberly Area Community College offers an LPN program at multiple locations which means you have the flexibility of choice while selecting the campus. Industry partnership helps the college to stay abreast with the latest trends and accordingly, its curriculum goes under upgradation regularly. This, in turn, helps students to gain an advantage in their professional career.

The college offers this 1-year long nursing certificate program at three different locations – Moberly (32 seats), Mexico (30 seats), and Columbia (30 seats). The curriculum spans across three semesters and contains a total of 51 program credit hours. During the training, you will receive theoretical instructions in classrooms while clinical sessions will be arranged in a variety of healthcare settings. To successfully graduate, you need to score a minimum C grade (equivalent to 78%) in both nursing courses and clinical sessions.

14) Hannibal-Lagrange University – Hannibal

Hannibal-Lagrange University provides quality nursing education through its low faculty to student ratio. This aids the learning process by allowing students to have better conceptual clarity during theoretical instructions and personal attention in clinical sessions. Well-trained instructors and fully equipped facilities are some of the other enablers that aid the learning process.

This LPN school in MO offers a 1-year long nursing program which is divided into three semesters-fall, spring, and summer. The 62 credits course contains 1500 program hours with a curriculum designed to meet the professional needs of the healthcare field. Theory classes, lab practical and clinical sessions are well integrated into course structure for providing holistic training to students. To graduate, you have to obtain a minimum of 80% (C-grade) in all nursing courses. Besides this nursing certificate, the college also offers associate nursing and RN to BSN online course.

15) Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center - Cape Girardeau

Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center has been imparting quality nursing education for more than 40 years now. Fully understanding the varying needs and time constraints faced by students, the center offers flexible learning options at an affordable cost structure.

The day LPN program offered by the college is one year long, while the evening course will take two years to complete. The curriculum will take you through the fundamentals of nursing care, surgical operations, health and nutrition, human anatomy, leadership, communication, and psychological well-being among others. You are required to score at least 80% in each course to successfully meet the graduating requirements of this nursing program. Upon completion, you can apply for a higher degree program in nursing or start working as an entry-level nurse in a healthcare setup.


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