6 Best LPN-to-RN Programs in New Hampshire – (Online & Campus-Based)


Written By: Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA

Are you an LPN in New Hampshire looking for a way to supercharge your nursing career? Think about enrolling in one of the LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire. Associate nursing degree programs will enable you to expand your scope of practice to qualify for nursing jobs in specialty fields like pediatrics, dialysis, or critical care. As a registered nurse, your compensation will be 31 percent higher, $83,420 annually (RN) instead of $63,550 (LPN.) You’ll also enjoy job security since employment opportunities for RNs are expected to rise 8 percent in 10 years. This guide to the 6 best LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire contains more information.



WHAT ARE THE BEST LPN-TO-RN PROGRAMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE (ONLINE AND CAMPUS-BASED)?

Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 6 best campus-based and online LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire.


1. White Mountains Community College - Berlin


Program Details: White Mountains Community College is home to one of the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire. The program offers a unique opportunity for currently licensed LPNs to transfer into the second semester of the school’s Associate in Science degree in Nursing program. Admission is competitive, and students are admitted on a space-available basis.

The ADN program is a 69-credit pathway. However, if you transfer into the LPN-to-RN option, you may need as few as 53 credits to earn the degree. The curriculum includes classes such as Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing, Advanced Concepts of Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Human Pathophysiology.

The LPN-to-RN program is designed in a campus-based learning format, featuring lectures in the classroom and simulation experiences in the college’s state-of-the-art simulation lab. In addition to your time in the classroom and learning in the laboratory, you will participate in a broad array of off-campus clinical rotation opportunities. Clinicals are arranged by program faculty and completed at local hospitals, nursing homes, physicians’ offices, and other social service agencies throughout the northern New Hampshire region.


Why Choose This Program

• The LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire at White Mountains Community College boasts consistently high NCLEX-RN pass rates, indicating effective preparation for licensure.
• At White Mountains Community College, you will learn from dedicated faculty with extensive knowledge and clinical experiences in several specialty areas. Faculty partner with clinical preceptors and students to help ensure you have the best opportunities for learning and growth as you transition from being an LPN to your new role as a registered nurse.


2. Rivier University - Nashua


Program Details: Rivier University offers another excellent LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire! The program is designed to allow licensed practical nurses to fast-track and earn an Associate of Science in Nursing degree. This LPN-to-RN program admits new cohorts each spring and takes four semesters to complete once prerequisites are satisfied. At Rivier University, classes are offered on campus in the evenings with evening or weekend clinical practicum assignments.

Once you complete the required prerequisites and pass the Nursing Fundamentals Challenge Exam, you need only 48 additional credits to earn the associate degree in nursing. At Rivier University, you will take classes, including Essentials of Community Health Nursing, Care of the Childbearing Family, and Professional Issues in Nursing.

The LPN-to-RN program incorporates hands-on clinical practice at a variety of healthcare facilities. You will participate in clinical practicums that are designed to help further establish your skills and develop leadership and critical thinking abilities needed to function as a registered nurse.


Why Choose This Program

• Flexible scheduling of evening classes and weekend or evening clinical rotations, means you can pursue the LPN-to-RN program while still maintaining part-time or full-time employment.
• Rivier University has a state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation and Clinical Education Center that recently underwent a $5 million renovation! The laboratory provides a place to learn and hone essential skills in a safe, controlled environment and to prepare for clinical practicums.


3. Lakes Region Community College - Laconia


Program Details: Lakes Region Community College is home to another of the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire. Any student needing general education courses or prerequisites may follow a temporary hybrid pathway as most of those classes are available online. As an LPN, if you have met all general education requirements, you will begin the nursing program in the Spring semester in Nursing Level II and complete three semesters of study to earn the Associate Degree in Nursing. All nursing and science courses are completed in-person on campus.

The associate degree nursing program is a 70-credit pathway. LPNs entering the program receive up to 17 prior learning credits and then complete as few as 53 credits of coursework and clinicals to earn the degree. The curriculum includes advanced courses in nursing fundamentals, microbiology, leadership, ethics, and psychology. You will apply what you learn in theory to clinical practicum experiences in various healthcare settings. The program has 1,080 contact hours, which includes the required theory, simulation, and clinical hours, as per the New Hampshire State Board of Nursing.


Why Choose This Program

• Lakes Region Community College is dedicated to your success in its LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire. The school provides support services, including individualized academic advising, tutoring, and career readiness planning.
• At Lakes Region Community College, you will prepare for clinical practicums and independent clinical practice in the school’s state-of-the-art high-fidelity simulation labs. The labs are designed to provide realistic training in a safe, controlled environment where you can develop and hone your skills.


4. Manchester Community College - Manchester


Program Details: The LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire at Manchester Community College is another excellent option for licensed practical nurses ready to move to the next level in nursing! According to Nursing Department Chair and Academic Advisor, Kimberly Perrotta, LPNs begin the program in the second semester by taking a 10-week hybrid course that includes distance learning assignments, four hours per week on campus with faculty, and 24 hours per week in clinicals. After completing the second semester of hybrid coursework, you will transition to the third semester, joining the traditional associate degree nursing program and complete the remainder of nursing coursework on campus. The program takes three semesters for LPNs to complete.

At Manchester Community College, the ADN program features a 70-credit curriculum. However, LPNs may transfer credits from their LPN program, reducing the required number of credits needed to graduate. The curriculum includes advanced coursework in Human Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics, Microbiology, and Nursing Fundamentals. The program features laboratory skills simulations on campus.

Additionally, Ms. Perrotta states that this LPN-to-RN program has extensive clinical opportunities. You will complete 225 clinical hours in semesters two and three and 270 clinical hours in semester four, for a total of 720 clinical hours! Clinicals are completed at designated affiliate clinical sites under the direction of clinical faculty or program-approved preceptors.


Why Choose This Program

• MCC prides itself on individualized learning opportunities, ensuring students get the most out of their time at the school by keeping teacher-to-student ratios low in both the classroom and in clinicals.
• Graduates of the LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire at Manchester Community College have excellent employment rates. Most graduates report finding jobs as RNs within three to six months of graduation, while others receive job offers while still enrolled, contingent upon graduating and passing the NCLEX-RN!


5. Nashua Community College - Nashua


Program Details: The LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire at Nashua Community College is an excellent option for licensed practical nurses ready to transition to the next level of nursing. The school provides a creative learning environment that promotes interaction, growth, and the development of knowledge and skills necessary for employment as a registered nurse. While traditional nursing students have the option of a two- or three-year plan of study, the LPN-to-RN advanced track allows licensed practical nurses to bypass the first semester of the program and join the traditional two-year cohort in the spring second semester. Admission to the LPN-to-RN pathway is competitive with a limited number of seats available each year.

To earn the associate in science degree in nursing, you must have a minimum of 69 credits. However, as an LPN who has already taken Anatomy and Physiology I and Introduction to Psychology, you will bypass the first semester of courses and need only 43 additional credits to satisfy the program’s requirements. In addition to classes, such as Medical Microbiology, Management of Nursing Care Across the Lifespan, and Nursing Care Concepts and Skills, you will participate in 12 to 15 hours of labs and clinicals each week.


Why Choose This Program

• Graduates of the LPN-to-RN program at Nashua Community College have excellent outcomes on NCLEX-RN tests, outstanding employment rates following program completion, and give high satisfaction scores when surveyed about the program. Each of these is a testament to the quality of the program provided to students.
• At Nashua Community College, you will have an academic advisor who collaborates with you from the time you are admitted to the program. Your advisor will help you navigate the challenges of the LPN-to-RN program and promote your success.


6. River Valley Community College - Claremont


Program Details: River Valley Community College offers another featured LPN-to-RN program in New Hampshire. The school offers two pathways, depending on where you earned your practical nursing degree and how long it has been since you earned it. The LPN-to-RN Direct Entry program is for River Valley CC graduates who graduated with LPN certification within the previous two years. This pathway begins in the fall and takes two semesters to complete. The LPN-to-RN Bridge pathway is for LPNs who graduated from any LPN program more than two years ago. The Bridge pathway begins in the summer semester and takes three semesters to complete. The timeline for both pathways is contingent upon candidates having completed an accredited LPN program and required prerequisites.

The Direct-Entry pathway is a 70-credit program, and the Bridge pathway requires 81 credits. The total credits mentioned here are inclusive of prerequisite coursework that is completed prior to entry into the nursing component of the program. Students in both pathways complete a minimum of 360 clinical hours. Clinicals are arranged by program faculty and occur in healthcare facilities in New Hampshire and Vermont. Clinical practicums may be scheduled on days, evenings, or weekends.


Why Choose This Program

• The LPN-to-RN program at River Valley Community College offers low faculty-to-student ratios. Small class sizes mean you have better opportunities for individualized learning and faculty assistance.
• RVCC offers one of the lowest tuition rates for LPN-to-RN programs in New Hampshire, making it easier for more LPNs to pursue their dreams of becoming registered nurses!


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED


1. Starting LPN VS. RN Salary In New Hampshire: How Much More Can You Earn As An RN?


RN Average Starting
Annual Salary
LPN Average Starting
Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
$66,620$54,350+$12,270+22.58%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


2. Experience-Wise LPN VS. RN Salary In New Hampshire: How Much More Can You Earn As An RN?


Level of ExperienceRNLPNDifference
Number%
Entry-Level$66,620$54,350+$12,270+22.58%
1-4 Years of Experience$77,600$62,520+$15,080+24.12%
5-9 Years of Experience$86,620$70,620+$16,000+22.66%
10-19 Years of Experience$101,410$77,270+$24,140+31.24%
20 Years or More Experience$109,930$90,260+$19,670+21.79%
Average Salary$89,410$71,770+$17,640+24.58%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


3. Metro Wise LPN VS. RN Salary In New Hampshire: How Much More Can You Earn As An RN?


MetroRN Average
Annual Salary
LPN Average
Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
Dover-Durham$87,550$69,840+$17,710+25.36%
Manchester$86,860$71,440+$15,420+21.58%
Portsmouth$90,220$74,360+$15,860+21.33%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


4. LPN VS. RN Job Outlook In New Hampshire: Is The Job Outlook For RN Better Than LPN?


OccupationEmploymentNew Employment
Growth(2020-2030)
20202030Number%
RN14,01015,240+1,230+8.78%
LPN2,1002,260+160+7.62%
Difference+11,910+12,980+1,070+1.16%
(Source: Careeronestop.org)


5. LPN VS. RN Job Openings In New Hampshire: Are There More Job Openings For RN Compared To LPN?


OccupationNewReplacementAnnual Job Openings
(New + Replacement)
RN123757880
LPN16164180
Difference+107+593+700
(Source: Careeronestop.org)


6. Average LPN-to-RN Salary In New Hampshire VS. Average LPN-to-RN Salary In The Nation: Who Earns More?


Average New Hampshire
LPN-to-RN Annual Salary
Average National
LPN-to-RN Annual Salary
Difference
Number%
$89,410$94,480-$5,070-5.37%
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)


Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Her work history includes clinical experience in pediatrics, mental health, addiction and behavioral disorders, geriatrics, wound management, and communicable disease. Darby has worked in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health and hospice agencies. Darby also has experience as a nursing and allied health educator at both community college and university levels. Her love for nursing and nursing education led to her becoming a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach.



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