It pays to graduate from one of the LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin! RNs in the Badger State average $81,000 a year, while LPNs only average $52,610, a salary differential of 54 percent. Attaining an associate degree in nursing can benefit you in other ways as well. You’ll learn skills such as patient assessment and critical thinking that will qualify you for employment positions where you’ll be able to function more autonomously than you could as an LPN. And you’ll enjoy job security: The demand for RN services will increase by 4 percent over the next 10 years. There’s lots more to review in the guide below to the 8 best LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin.
Based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the 8 best campus-based and online LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin.
Program Details: Southwest Wisconsin Technical College offers one of the best LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin. The associate degree nursing program is designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills needed to successfully transition from being an LPN to becoming an RN. The traditional associate degree nursing program takes two years or four semesters to complete. However, after successfully completing the LPN-to-RN Bridge course, LPNs enter the second year of the program and graduate in just two semesters.
The LPN-to-RN program includes face-to-face classes on campus, which facilitate instructor and student interaction and allows for classroom discussions. You will also learn skills in the simulation laboratory, complete independent learning projects, and participate in clinical practicums at various clinical affiliate sites.
The curriculum for the LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a 65-credit pathway. Some of the classes included in the curriculum include Nursing Complex Health Alterations, Nursing Management and Professional Concepts, and Contemporary American Society. You will also complete 432 clinical hours, which are divided into three separate practicums during the final two semesters of the associate degree program.
As a licensed practical nurse, you may be eligible to receive credit for prior learning for knowledge and skills you already have. Prior learning credits may be granted for work or volunteer experience, apprenticeships you have completed, professional development, military training, taking CLEP exams, or taking challenge exams. You will also earn prior learning credits for having an active LPN license. By taking advantage of this option, you can begin earning credits before beginning classes on campus.
Why Choose This Program
• Program Outcome Reports from Southwest Wisconsin College indicate graduating cohorts earn almost perfect scores in professionalism, communication, integrating theory into practice, applying the nursing process, using technology to support decisions, and demonstrating leadership. This speaks well of the program, and the preparation students receive, as all of the items scored are essential skills for registered nurses.Program Details: Fox Valley Technical College is home to another great option for an LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin. The program admits students in the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. After completing required prerequisites, LPNs enter the program in the third semester of the traditional Associate Degree in Nursing. The program offers classroom-based learning, training in the school’s high-fidelity simulation lab, and hands-on clinical practicums.
The program, which awards an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing, features a 66-credit curriculum. You may apply 19 credits from your practical nursing program toward the total credits needed to earn the degree. 39 of the 66 required credits are earned from technical studies classes, including Nursing Intermediate Clinical Practice, Nursing Complex Health Alterations, and Nursing Pharmacology.
In clinicals, you will apply the theoretical knowledge you gained in the classroom and labs to provide patient care at Fox Valley’s several clinical partner sites. Clinicals include providing care for patients of all ages across the lifespan. Program faculty arranges clinical practicums and assigns clinical preceptors.
Why Choose This Program
• At Fox Valley Technical College, you will receive one-on-one guidance and assistance to help you from the time you apply to the program until you complete it. The admissions center has counselors who will guide you as you apply for the program. Academic advisors will discuss pathways and course offerings and help determine which classes, if any, you may transfer into the program, and who are available to assist you throughout the program’s duration.Program Details: The LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin offered at Moraine Park Technical College is available to licensed practical nurses with a current Wisconsin license who have been employed as an LPN for at least 1,000 hours in the previous two years. The program is offered as a part-time option to accommodate working LPNs. It is designed to combine your previous nursing experience with classroom instruction and hands-on learning opportunities. The LPN-to-RN program is designed to be completed in three semesters, including the general education semester.
The nursing program uses a petition process to advance students from prerequisite coursework into the core nursing component of the program. You will first be admitted as a pre-core student. After completing the required prerequisites, you may petition to advance to the nursing core courses. Students are admitted to the nursing core of the program in the fall and spring semesters annually.
The LPN-to-RN program at Moraine Park features a 68-credit curriculum. You will be granted 19 escrow credits, often referred to as prior learning credits, once you complete the first semester of nursing courses. In addition to lectures in the classroom, you will participate in approximately 108 hours in the simulation lab and complete 396 clinical practicum hours. To be eligible to participate in clinical practicums, you must meet clinical requirements and be enrolled in the corresponding concurrent clinical course.
Why Choose This Program
• Moraine Park Technical College has credit transfer agreements with both private and public four-year colleges. After completing the LPN-to-RN program, you may apply to transfer credits to a four-year college and earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing in less time than it would take to earn a traditional BSN.Program Details: Another of our featured LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin is offered at Lakeshore Technical College. Admission is competitive, with a limited number of seats available for each new class. The LPN-to-RN entry is available in the summer semester after completing two bridge courses.
Theory and lab courses for the LPN-to-RN program take place in the college’s state-of-the-art clinical lab and classrooms on campus. Classes are usually scheduled during the day, Monday through Friday, except for Advanced Clinical, which is often scheduled in the evenings.
The program requires students to complete at least 65 credits to earn an associate degree in nursing. However, as an LPN, you may receive credit for prior learning, reducing the number of credits you need to graduate and the time it takes to do so. Most LPN-to-RN students complete the program in three semesters. In addition to classroom and skills lab instruction, the program provides a broad range of real-life, hands-on training at various clinical sites.
Why Choose This Program
• Graduates of the LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin at Lakeshore College consistently score higher than the national average on the NCLEX-RN. High success rates on the exam indicate the program provides quality classroom and clinical instruction to help you prepare to transition to your new role as a registered nurse.Program Details: As you research LPN-to-RN programs in Wisconsin, Northwest Wisconsin Technical College is a great option to consider. The program offers flexible scheduling options, making it easy for you to earn your degree when it is most convenient. You have the option of enrolling in day or evening classes or choosing a combination of online and weekend classes. The program offers spring and fall start options and is designed to be completed in four semesters, including one prerequisite semester, and is only available for part-time study.
General education courses must be completed before final acceptance into the nursing program and may be offered completely online, via web conference, in a blended format, or in person. Once you complete general education courses and are admitted to the LPN-to-RN program, you will follow 29-credit learning pathway. Skills courses are only available in person and are scheduled in the evenings during the latter part of the first semester. Core nursing theory classes are offered online or in person.
In addition to classroom simulation and lab instruction, you will gain extensive clinical experience. Clinical courses consist of six to eight-hour shifts two days per week and are held at clinical affiliate sites. Occasional evening clinical assignments may be required. Some of your clinicals will occur at hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. You will also have opportunities to provide hands-on patient care at the Northwest Wisconsin Technical College N.E.W. Clinic.
Why Choose This Program
• At NWTC, you will be assigned an academic advisor who will assist you from the time you apply to the program until you graduate. Your advisor will be available to help ensure you have the right classes, get assistance when you need it from faculty and staff, and provide support as you navigate your way from being an LPN to becoming an RN.Program Details: The LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin offered by Waukesha County Technical College is an excellent option for licensed practical nurses who want to earn an associate degree in nursing at an accelerated pace. The program is a full-time hybrid option featuring daytime classes. Supervised learning activities occur in the classroom, online, and in clinicals. Classes for LPN-to-RN students typically begin in the spring of each year.
You must first complete general education courses and then petition for admission to the nursing program. When you are awarded a seat in the program, you may then register to take the required LPN to RN bridge courses. Once you pass the bridge courses, you will enter the traditional associate degree program in the third semester, and you will then complete an additional 24 credits. Some of the classes you will take in the degree program include Nursing Management and Professional Concepts, Nursing Complex Health Alterations, and Nursing Advanced Clinical Practice.
In addition to content-rich courses, you will complete clinical courses and corresponding clinical practicums. Your clinicals are arranged by program faculty and supervised by either clinical faculty or program-approved preceptors.
Why Choose This Program
• The LPN-to-RN program at Waukesha County Technical College reports high retention and completion rates, which speaks highly of the program's quality and student satisfaction.Program Details: Mid-State Technical College offers an LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin that you can complete in just four semesters. The program, which awards an Associate Degree in Nursing upon completion, is delivered in a full-time, hybrid/blended format. If you need general education credits, you may enroll in them in any semester. New nursing cohorts begin in the fall or spring after completing the required prerequisites.
The LPN-to-RN program requires you to obtain 66 credits to earn the ADN degree. 28 credits are earned from general education courses, and you will receive 15 advanced standing credits for being an LPN. After completing general education courses, you must take a Transition from LPN to ADN online course and an LPN Skills Refresher course, which is partially online. You may then register for core courses, entering the third semester of the associate degree program. The LPN-to-RN program includes eight credit hours of clinical training, which averages 360 direct clinical practicum hours.
Why Choose This Program
• Mid-State Technical College offers low faculty-to-student ratios, which means you have more opportunities for one-on-one learning and individualized academic planning to help promote your success.Program Details: If you’re looking for an LPN-to-RN program in Wisconsin that offers some flexibility in learning, Nicolet College could be the place for you! The program offers mixed learning methodologies, combining lectures, computer-assisted instruction, group discussions, and clinical practicums. With three start dates per year, in the fall, spring, and summer, you can choose to begin earning your degree at a time that suits you.
The associate degree nursing program is a 65-credit pathway. However, as a licensed practical nurse with a current license, you may enter the third semester of the program after meeting the general education and science course requirements of the first two semesters. It will then take two semesters or one year of study to complete the program. Your placement and course schedule will be determined upon review of your academic records by the Admission and Progression Committee.
In addition to courses such as, Complex Health Alterations, Advanced Clinical Practice, and Management of Professional Concepts, you will participate in simulation exercises on campus. Simulations follow the same clinical policies as site-based clinicals; however, they are conducted in the safety of the school environment for instructional purposes. Clinical practicums are arranged and supervised by program faculty to provide opportunities for hands-on learning in various clinical settings, where you can apply the theory and skills you learned in the classroom and lab to real-life patient care.
Why Choose This Program
• The LPN-to-ADN program in Wisconsin at Nicolet College has exceptional program completion rates, high NCLEX-RN pass rates among first-time testers, and outstanding job placement rates within the graduate’s first year following graduation.RN Average Starting Annual Salary | LPN Average Starting Annual Salary | Difference | |||
Number | % | ||||
$69,240 | $48,520 | +$20,720 | +42.70% | ||
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Level of Experience | RN | LPN | Difference | ||
Number | % | ||||
Entry-Level | $69,240 | $48,520 | +$20,720 | +42.70% | |
1-4 Years of Experience | $77,500 | $50,820 | +$26,680 | +52.50% | |
5-9 Years of Experience | $83,300 | $57,150 | +$26,150 | +45.76% | |
10-19 Years of Experience | $98,580 | $61,220 | +$37,360 | +61.03% | |
20 Years or More Experience | $105,110 | $68,910 | +$36,200 | +52.53% | |
Average Salary | $87,220 | $57,190 | +$30,030 | +52.51% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Metro | RN Average Annual Salary | LPN Average Annual Salary | Difference | ||
Number | % | ||||
Appleton | $83,780 | $56,780 | +$27,000 | +47.55% | |
Eau Claire | $85,160 | $55,840 | +$29,320 | +52.51% | |
Fond du Lac | $83,030 | $57,120 | +$25,910 | +45.36% | |
Green Bay | $84,490 | $54,150 | +$30,340 | +56.03% | |
Janesville-Beloit | $85,680 | $56,970 | +$28,710 | +50.39% | |
Madison | $91,880 | $58,550 | +$33,330 | +56.93% | |
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis | $88,230 | $59,220 | +$29,010 | +48.99% | |
Oshkosh-Neenah | $83,090 | $54,570 | +$28,520 | +52.26% | |
Racine | $84,290 | $58,120 | +$26,170 | +45.03% | |
Sheboygan | $83,270 | $55,670 | +$27,600 | +49.58% | |
Wausau | $80,980 | $53,310 | +$27,670 | +51.90% | |
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
Occupation | Employment | New Employment Growth (2020-2030) | |||
2020 | 2030 | Number | % | ||
RN | 64,590 | 67,120 | +2,530 | +3.92% | |
LPN | 8,080 | 7,990 | -90 | -1.11% | |
Difference | +56,510 | +59,130 | +2,440 | +2.81% | |
(Source: Careeronestop.org) |
Occupation | New | Replacement | Annual Job Openings (New + Replacement) | ||
RN | 253 | 3,417 | 3,670 | ||
LPN | -9 | 609 | 600 | ||
Difference | +244 | +2,808 | +3,070 | ||
(Source: Careeronestop.org) |
Average Wisconsin LPN-to-RN Annual Salary | Average National LPN-to-RN Annual Salary | Difference | |||
Number | % | ||||
$87,220 | $94,480 | -$7,260 | -7.68% | ||
(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) |