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Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) Schools in North Carolina
47 schools in North Carolina offer practical nursing (LPN/LVN)-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data.
Occupation pay is what working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in North Carolina earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) licensing in North Carolina: State license required
North Carolina requires an LPN license from the North Carolina Board of Nursing. Candidates graduate from a board-approved practical nursing program (about 12 months), complete a fingerprint SBI/FBI background check, and pass the NCLEX-PN — expect roughly $313 in required fees ($75 application, $38 background check, $200 exam). North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, and there is no limit on NCLEX retakes (45-day wait between attempts).
Official source: North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) · Exam: NCLEX-PN · Typical requirement: Graduation from a board-approved practical nursing education program (typically about 12 months); fingerprint-based SBI/FBI criminal background check; $75 exam application + $38 background check + $200 Pearson VUE NCLEX registration
Official license records related to practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in North Carolina
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Practical Nurse — NC Board of Nursing
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) PMHNP-BC — American Nurses Credentialing Center
- Registered Nurse — NC Board of Nursing
- Nurse Practitioner — NC Board of Nursing
- Nursing Home — NC Department of Health & Human Services~Health Service Regulation
- Clinical Nurse Specialist — NC Board of Nursing
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby | public | $995 | 30.6% | $33,755 |
| Piedmont Community College | Roxboro | public | $1,095 | 39.5% | $33,274 |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham | public | $1,664 | 24.1% | $36,142 |
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | public | $1,776 | 40.5% | $37,310 |
| Rockingham Community College | Wentworth | public | $2,060 | 32.3% | $32,480 |
| James Sprunt Community College | Kenansville | public | $1,863 | 41% | $29,307 |
| Wayne Community College | Goldsboro | public | $2,245 | 39.8% | $34,148 |
| College of the Albemarle | Elizabeth City | public | $2,253 | 34% | $33,234 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | public | $3,345 | 24% | $37,865 |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson | public | $3,064 | 29.5% | $32,973 |
| Sampson Community College | Clinton | public | $3,108 | 36.5% | $33,409 |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount | public | $3,338 | 27.8% | $34,912 |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson | public | $3,286 | 31.9% | $34,304 |
| Craven Community College | New Bern | public | $3,289 | 36.7% | $34,231 |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton | public | $2,892 | 37% | $29,036 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | public | $3,589 | 28.2% | $31,861 |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston | public | $4,127 | 36.3% | $33,866 |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | public | $4,157 | 35.9% | $31,656 |
| Surry Community College | Dobson | public | $4,961 | 47% | $36,012 |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | public | $5,207 | 41.4% | $34,145 |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock | public | $5,756 | 48.8% | $36,324 |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford | public | $5,446 | 41.6% | $33,525 |
| Mayland Community College | Spruce Pine | public | $5,861 | 38.7% | $34,663 |
| Richmond Community College | Hamlet | public | $5,071 | 36.7% | $29,951 |
| Alamance Community College | Graham | public | $6,109 | 33.1% | $34,241 |
| South Piedmont Community College | Polkton | public | $6,675 | 26.9% | $37,308 |
| Gaston College | Dallas | public | $6,592 | 44.1% | $35,386 |
| Beaufort County Community College | Washington | public | $6,500 | 42.7% | $32,519 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | public | $8,759 | 31.8% | $41,769 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem | public | $7,200 | 32.9% | $34,139 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Salisbury | public | $7,981 | 32% | $34,936 |
| McDowell Technical Community College | Marion | public | $7,784 | 34.4% | $33,035 |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | Thomasville | public | $8,753 | 38.3% | $36,337 |
| Brunswick Community College | Bolivia | public | $9,009 | 38.6% | $36,668 |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | public | $9,610 | 39.7% | $38,654 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | public | $9,461 | 32.7% | $36,444 |
| Halifax Community College | Weldon | public | $9,040 | 37.3% | $31,644 |
| Southeastern Community College | Whiteville | public | $9,148 | 37.7% | $30,284 |
| Bladen Community College | Dublin | public | $9,551 | 23.7% | $30,591 |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson | public | $10,810 | 32.8% | $34,515 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | public | $11,602 | 33.6% | $36,048 |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City | public | $10,764 | 37.5% | $33,357 |
| Isothermal Community College | Spindale | public | $10,758 | 41.2% | $33,325 |
| Montgomery Community College | Troy | public | $13,832 | 66.7% | $32,742 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | public | $15,002 | 27.4% | $33,934 |
| Southeastern College-Charlotte | Charlotte | private for-profit | $30,611 | 68.3% | $31,548 |
| Edgecombe Community College | Tarboro | public | not reported | 38.7% | $33,267 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not practical nursing (LPN/LVN) graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) school in North Carolina
- How much do Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) schools cost in North Carolina?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 47 practical nursing (LPN/LVN) schools in North Carolina is $5,809. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in North Carolina?
- North Carolina requires an LPN license from the North Carolina Board of Nursing. Candidates graduate from a board-approved practical nursing program (about 12 months), complete a fingerprint SBI/FBI background check, and pass the NCLEX-PN — expect roughly $313 in required fees ($75 application, $38 background check, $200 exam). North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, and there is no limit on NCLEX retakes (45-day wait between attempts).
- What does a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) earn in North Carolina?
- Working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in North Carolina earn a median of $63,270 per year, ranging from about $50,480 to $74,730 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for practical nursing (LPN/LVN) programs in North Carolina
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