Why should you consider pursuing an LPN-to-RN track if you’re a licensed practical nurse in New Jersey? Because you’ll earn a much higher salary, have many more employment opportunities, and experience a higher degree of job satisfaction as a registered nurse than you will as an LPN in the Garden State. If you’ve wondered, “What are the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey?” here’s some good news: Your LPN experience will count towards your nursing program credits at many schools. Keep reading for more information about the 12 best LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey for 2025.
Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 12 best campus-based and online LPN-to-RN Programs in New Jersey.
Jersey College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Why is Jersey College’s 75-credit LPN-to-RN bridge track one of the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey? Because Jersey College accommodates the needs of working LPNs by offering evening classes that meet from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm Mondays through Thursdays. Daytime classes are available, too.
Jersey College’s rigorous curriculum builds upon skills you’ve already acquired as a licensed nursing professional. You’ll take college-level classes in English, math, biology, and the social sciences to fulfill your general education requirements as well as courses oriented specifically to the nursing process, such as “Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing,” “Care of Women and Children,” and “Psychiatric Nursing.” You’ll also participate in clinical experiences with Jersey College’s practicum partners. Plan on spending between three and six hours a day on homework and other academic activities.
The length of time it will take you to complete this program will depend upon how many classes you can take each semester and whether you can transfer credits from previous academic coursework. Most students can complete this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey in six semesters (15 months.) You’ll graduate with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN.)
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Jersey College LPN-to-RN Students
• Jersey College incorporates NCLEX-RN preparation into its LPN-to-RN bridge curriculum.Ocean County College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Ocean County College’s Career Mobility Nursing Program is qualitatively different from most LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey. It isn’t a traditional LPN-to-RN bridge program at all. Rather, it’s a kind of advanced placement strategy designed to give LPNs enrolled in the college’s traditional nursing program a leg up.
The Career Mobility Nursing Program is not a sequence of classes but a set of criteria that includes completing the college’s general education requirements with a grade of “C” or higher and passing the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS.) If you meet these criteria, you’ll be approved to challenge the final exam for an introductory nursing class that focuses on the core components of nursing practice. If your challenge is successful, you’ll receive nine credits toward completing the nursing program’s 73-credit curriculum.
Most students can complete Ocean County College’s nursing program in two years. You’ll graduate with an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Nursing. Note that completion of the Career Mobility Nursing Program does not guarantee acceptance into Ocean County College’s traditional nursing program.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Ocean County College LPN-to-RN Students
• You must have at least six months of professional LPN experience to apply to Ocean County College’s Career Mobility Nursing Program,Raritan Valley Community College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Raritan Valley Community College’s Practical Nurse to Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing (PNAD) program consists of a six-week transition course (summer semester) followed by two semesters of clinical nursing courses (fall and spring semesters.) Once this coursework is complete, PNAD students progress into Raritan Valley’s traditional nursing program curriculum. The entire course sequence comprises 68 credits: 53 class credits and 15 transfer credits from your previous LPN education. All classes are taught at Raritan Valley Community College’s campus in Branchburg, New Jersey.
You should be able to finish Raritan Valley Community College’s PNAD program in a single year. The transition course teaches the basics of nursing assessment and nursing care plan development. The clinical nursing courses must be taken in sequence, and depending upon space availability, you may be assigned to either day or evening classes. As with most other LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey offered through community colleges, you’ll graduate with an AAS degree in Nursing.
To qualify for admission into this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey, you must have graduated from an LPN program with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher. You must hold current LPN licensure in New Jersey and have at least six months of professional LPN experience.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Raritan Valley Community College LPN-to-RN Students
• Students who live or work in Somerset or Hunterdon Counties are prioritized for admission into this program.Salem Community College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Are you an LPN looking for a fast and comparatively affordable way to become a registered nurse? Salem Community College offers a 60-credit program for licensed practical nurses that will enable you to earn an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Nursing in just one year, so you’ll be qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. All courses are taught at Salem Community College’s campus in Carneys Point.
In addition to general education classes and courses in anatomy, physiology, and science, you’ll take core nursing courses that focus on nursing leadership, global health, and diversity. You’ll practice new clinical skills like NG placement, IV starts, and blood draws in Salem Community College’s simulated lab and hone them in practice settings like long-term care facilities or community clinics.
Admission into this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey is a two-step process. First, you’ll have to submit an application to Salem Community College as a Health Science major; then, you’ll have to create and submit a portfolio for consideration by the nursing program. Courses begin in June and end in May the following year. This is one of the few LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey that does not stipulate a minimum GPA for acceptance. Acceptance depends upon TEAS test scores and your background check.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Salem Community College LPN-to-RN Students
• Salem Community College has an open admissions policy—meaning that if you pass the TEAS test and your nursing portfolio contains all required documentation, you will get into this program.Eastwick College-Ramsey LPN-to-RN Program Details: Eastwick College understands how difficult it can be for working LPNs to take their careers to the next level, so the school offers students their choice of daytime or evening classes. The daytime track takes 18 months to complete, while the evening track takes 21 months.
This accelerated program consists of 17 classes for 95 quarter credits. The curriculum focuses on the specific skills and training you will need to transition successfully to your new RN role. Coursework includes classes such as “Review of Principles of Medication Administration & Dosage Calculation,” “Complex Health Concepts,” and “Concepts of Healthcare Management.” Eastwick also devotes an entire class to NCLEX-RN preparation to maximize your chances of passing that examination on your first try.
Eastwick College really stands out in the quality of its clinical rotations. Eastwick’s LPN-to-RN program is one of the few in northeastern New Jersey that guarantees all students will be able to secure a clinical spot and a preceptor. You’ll graduate from this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Eastwick College-Ramsey LPN-to-RN Students
• Eastwick College LPN-to-RN program is also offered at its campus in Hackensack, New Jersey.Rowan College of South Jersey LPN-to-RN Program Details: Rowan College of South Jersey’s LPN-to-RN program essentially consists of a single class during the winter semester that explores the differences between the LPN and RN scopes of practice. Upon completing this class, you will then progress to a more traditional nursing curriculum that includes “Nursing I, II, III, and IV” and “Nursing Global Issues and Trends.”
If you’re a full-time student, you should be able to complete RCSJ’s LPN-to-RN program in four semesters (two years.) However, you’ll have up to three years to complete the program from the time you take the initial LPN-to-RN class. This is one of the few online LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey.
Although Rowan College of South Jersey has an open admissions policy, its LPN-to-RN track is a selective admissions program—meaning that as one of your admission requirements, you’ll need to convince the admissions committee of your suitability for the nursing profession by preparing and submitting a portfolio. Graduates of this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey receive Associate in Applied Science in Nursing degrees.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Rowan College of South Jersey LPN-to-RN Students
• Clinical rotations take place at acute, long-term, and community healthcare agencies throughout southern New Jersey.Atlantic Cape Community College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Atlantic Cape Community College doesn’t have a discrete LPN-to-RN program as such. Instead, applicants with LPNs are considered for advanced placement in the community college’s traditional nursing program, contingent upon completing a year of college-level anatomy and physiology and an LPN Nursing Transition course with a grade of C or better.
The 8-credit LPN Nursing Transition course focuses on the nursing process and physical assessment and is taught in the fall semester. The 40-credit traditional nursing program begins in the spring. Its curriculum includes classes like “Nursing I, II, III, and IV,” “Nursing Management,” and “Nursing Trends and Issues.” To graduate from Atlantic Cape Community College, you’ll also have to take 24 credits of general education classes. Your clinical rotations will occur at acute, long-term, and community healthcare agencies throughout Mays Landing, Hamilton Township, and Atlantic City.
You’ll have up to three years to complete this program, but most students are able to complete it in two. Classes are taught on Atlantic Cape Community College’s campus in Mays Landing. You’ll graduate with an Associate in Applied Science in Nursing degree.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Atlantic Cape Community College LPN-to-RN Students
• Atlantic Cape Community College is one of the few LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey that does not require applicants to take the TEAS test, although you can submit your scores if you want your application to be more competitive.Passaic County Community College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Passaic County Community College’s nurse education program offers an LPN Mobility Option that prepares licensed practical nurses to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. For admission into this program, you must have a high school diploma; hold LPN licensure in New Jersey; complete college-level courses in chemistry, inorganic chemistry, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and English composition with a grade of C or higher; and score 70 percent or higher on the National League for Nursing’s Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE).
If accepted into this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey, you’ll take a transition course in the spring semester that will introduce you to RN-level nursing processes within cultural, ethnic, economic, and legal contexts. Then you’ll join the nursing cohort and continue with a 70-credit curriculum that includes general education courses, core nursing classes, and clinical rotations. You should be able to finish your studies in four semesters. Classes are taught on the Passaic County Community College Campus in Patterson during the daytime.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Passaic County Community College LPN-to-RN Students
• Passaic County Community College also offers its LPN Mobility Option at Sussex County Community College, though this option is only open to residents of Sussex County.Essex County College LPN-to-RN Program Details: Are you looking for an LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey that will only take two years to complete? Essex Community College’s LPN Articulation Model is one of the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey. Two LPN-specific courses in the fall and spring semesters will introduce you to the essential information a licensed practical nurse needs to know to bridge the gap between the LPN and RN roles. Once those are complete and you’ve taken the prerequisite 14 credits of general education, you’ll receive eight credits and enter the traditional 35-credit nursing program in the fall. You’ll graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree.
Essex County College has an open admissions policy, but admission into its LPN Articulation Model is highly competitive. You must apply separately to Essex County College and its nursing program. If you meet preliminary admission requirements, you’ll be invited to apply to take the TEAS test. Your application will then be ranked based on criteria that include your TEAS scores and your grade point average as an LPN student.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Essex County College LPN-to-RN Students
• Essex County College’s nursing program is one of the few LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey that meets the educational licensing requirements for RN licensure in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.Holy Name School of Nursing LPN-to-RN Program Details: The Holy Name School of Nursing is the educational arm of the Holy Name Medical Center, which serves Bergen County, New Jersey. One of the advantages of choosing this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey is that it will simplify the clinical rotation process since all student nurse clinical rotations take place at the Medical Center.
Holy Name’s LPN-to-RN Pathway program consists of a single class that teaches licensed practical nurses the fundamentals that differentiate the LPN scope of practice from the RN scope of practice, focusing on the nursing process, critical thinking skills, and medication calculations among other things. The class is offered in the fall semester and meets one four-hour evening session a week for 10 weeks. If you pass the course successfully, you will be awarded nine credits and enter the RN nursing program in January. This program is four semesters long, and you’ll graduate with a Diploma in Nursing from Holy Name and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Science.
Before you can be admitted into the LPN-to-RN track, you must complete all prerequisite science and general education courses. You’ll also need to pass the TEAS test with a minimum score of 60 percent.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Holy Name School of Nursing LPN-to-RN Students
• Holy Name has partnership agreements in place that will allow you a seamless transition should you choose to continue your nursing education by pursuing a BSN at St. Peter's University, Montclair State University, Bloomfield College, Thomas Edison State University, William Paterson University, or Grand Canyon University.Capital Health LPN-to-RN Program Details: Capital Health’s LPN-to-RN program is an advanced placement track that enables licensed practical nurses to complete a two-year nursing program in 10 months. It’s widely regarded as one of the best LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey. The program is a collaboration between the Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and Mercer County Community College. Upon graduation, you’ll earn a nursing diploma from Capital Health and an Associate in Science degree from Mercer County Community College.
To be accepted into this LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey, you must have current New Jersey licensure as an LPN and at least one year of clinical experience in an acute care, sub-acute, long-term, or rehab practice setting. Preference is given to candidates who’ve already completed the prerequisite 30 general education credits.
Upon successful completion of an LPN transition course that covers fundamentals like critical thinking, cultural diversity, nursing care plans, and discharge planning, you’ll receive 16 credits toward completion of the 44-credit nursing program. All clinical rotations will take place at the Capital Health Regional Medical Center. Depending upon facility availability, clinical rotations may need to be scheduled on the 3 pm to 11 pm evening swing shift or on weekends.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Capital Health LPN-to-RN Students
• Capital Health offers a three-year nursing option open to LPNs who prefer to attend school part-time.Trinitas School of Nursing LPN-to-RN Program Details: The Trinitas School of Nursing is associated with RWJBarnabas Health, a network of independent providers that comprises the most extensive healthcare system in New Jersey. Its LPN-to-RN track is a collaboration between the nursing school and Union College, and you must apply separately to each institution. The program begins each fall and takes 15 months to complete. You’ll need to complete 33 general education credits before Trinitas will accept you into the LPN-to-RN track.
This LPN-to-RN program in New Jersey is substantively different from most LPN-to-RN programs in New Jersey in that you will not be taking a bridge course and entering a traditional nursing program. Instead, the entire 32-credit nursing curriculum is customized for LPN students who want to pursue this professional development opportunity. Clinical rotations occur at healthcare facilities that are part of the RWJBarnabas Health network. The program is simply top-notch in every way. You’ll graduate with a Diploma in Nursing from the Trinitas School of Nursing and an Associate in Science degree from Union College.
Must-Know Highlights For Potential Trinitas School of Nursing LPN-to-RN Students
• The Trinitas School of Nursing is committed to helping educationally disadvantaged students, non-traditional students, and students who are seeking a second career meet their educational goals.Hourly | $36.85 |
Weekly | $1,474 |
Monthly | $6,390 |
Annual | $76,650 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Hourly | $46.48 |
Weekly | $1,859 |
Monthly | $8,060 |
Annual | $96,670 |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Level of Experience | Hourly | Weekly | Monthly | Annual | |
Entry-Level | $36.85 | $1,474 | $6,390 | $76,650 | |
1-4 Years of Experience | $39.51 | $1,580 | $6,850 | $82,180 | |
5-9 Years of Experience | $47.16 | $1,886 | $8,170 | $98,090 | |
10-19 Years of Experience | $50.55 | $2,022 | $8,760 | $105,150 | |
20 Years or More Experience | $56.80 | $2,272 | $9,850 | $118,150 | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
RN Average Annual Salary | LPN Average Annual Salary | Difference | |||
Number | % | ||||
$96,670 | $61,990 | +$34,680 | +55.94% | ||
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Metro | RN Average Annual Salary | LPN Average Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | ||||
Atlantic City-Hammonton | $88,520 | $55,920 | +$32,600 | +58.30% | |
Ocean City | $85,050 | $57,760 | +$27,290 | +47.25% | |
Trenton | $91,570 | $60,280 | +$31,290 | +51.91% | |
Vineland-Bridgeton | $88,330 | $57,690 | +$30,640 | +53.11% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Occupation | Employment | New Employment Growth (2020-2030) | ||
2020 | 2030 | Number | % | |
LPN | 15,850 | 17,200 | +1,350 | +8.52% |
RN | 83,660 | 90,850 | +7,190 | +8.59% |
(Source: Careeronestop.org) |
Occupation | New | Replacement | Annual Job Openings (New + Replacement) | |
LPN | 135 | 1,245 | 1,380 | |
RN | 719 | 4,521 | 5,240 | |
(Source: Careeronestop.org) |
S.No. | Accrediting Body |
1 | Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) |
2 | Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
14 |
RN | LPN | Difference |
$46.48 | $29.80 | +$16.68 |
RN | LPN | Difference |
$8,060 | $5,170 | +$2,890 |
RN | LPN | Difference |
$96,670 | $61,990 | +$34,680 |
Average New Jersey LPN-to-RN Annual Salary | Average National LPN-to-RN Annual Salary | Difference | |
Number | % | ||
$96,670 | $89,010 | +$7,660 | +8.61% |