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Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) Schools in Pennsylvania
50 schools in Pennsylvania offer practical nursing (LPN/LVN)-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 11 registered apprenticeship programs in Pennsylvania train practical nursing (LPN/LVN) apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania: State license required
Pennsylvania requires an LPN license from the State Board of Nursing to practice practical nursing. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED, a board-approved practical nursing program (typically 12-18 months), 3 hours of child abuse training, an FBI fingerprint background check (required since July 2025), and a passing NCLEX-PN score; the initial fee runs $95-$145. Pennsylvania participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact and issues multistate licenses.
Official source: Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs) · Exam: NCLEX-PN · Typical requirement: High school diploma or GED plus completion of a board-approved practical nursing program (typically 12-18 months, commonly about 1,500 clock hours); 3 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting training; FBI fingerprint background check required for all new healthcare-license applicants since July 7, 2025; initial fee $95-$145
Official license records related to practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in Pennsylvania
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Licensed Practical Nurse — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Nursing Board
- Registered Professional Nurse — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Nursing Board
- Nursing Home Administrator — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Nursing Home Administrators Board
- Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Nursing Board
- Nurse-Midwife License — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Medicine Board
- Massage Therapist — Department of State~Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs~Massage Therapy Board
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucks County Community College | Newtown | public | $6,389 | 21.8% | $47,324 |
| Schuylkill Technology Center | Frackville | public | $6,797 | 60.1% | $49,148 |
| Community College of Beaver County | Monaca | public | $6,937 | 28.5% | $45,090 |
| Pennsylvania Highlands Community College | Johnstown | public | $6,200 | 39.3% | $38,752 |
| Butler County Community College | Butler | public | $6,233 | 30.2% | $38,891 |
| Western Area Career & Technology Center | Canonsburg | public | $8,066 | not reported | $43,189 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College | Schnecksville | public | $9,203 | 24.6% | $42,436 |
| Reading Area Community College | Reading | public | $9,228 | 21.2% | $39,082 |
| Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology | Pleasant Gap | public | $9,857 | 90.8% | $41,677 |
| Chester County Intermediate Unit | Downingtown | public | $14,441 | 74.3% | $60,347 |
| York County School of Technology-Adult & Continuing Education | York | public | $13,490 | 89.7% | $54,322 |
| Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center | Johnstown | public | $14,111 | 76.6% | $48,881 |
| Jefferson County DuBois Area Vocational Technical School | Reynoldsville | public | $10,639 | 41.9% | $36,531 |
| Northampton County Area Community College | Bethlehem | public | $12,119 | 29.8% | $41,566 |
| Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center | Altoona | public | $12,419 | 71.5% | $38,008 |
| Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit LPN Career | Milton | public | $16,779 | 69.3% | $49,686 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | public | $14,471 | 21.3% | $42,007 |
| Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | Clearfield | public | $14,460 | 80.4% | $41,559 |
| Franklin County Career and Technology Center | Chambersburg | public | $20,846 | 72.4% | $54,747 |
| Venango County Area Vocational Technical School | Oil City | public | $14,655 | 50% | $38,161 |
| Somerset County Technology Center | Somerset | public | $14,444 | 89.1% | $37,558 |
| Northern Tier Career Center | Towanda | public | $14,960 | 60.3% | $38,737 |
| Lancaster County Career and Technology Center | Willow Street | public | $17,505 | 77.2% | $44,566 |
| Delaware County Technical School-Practical Nursing Program | Broomall | public | $22,365 | 73.1% | $55,120 |
| Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing | Wilkes Barre | public | $19,937 | 44.2% | $48,705 |
| Greene County Career and Technology Center | Waynesburg | public | $14,909 | not reported | $34,231 |
| Lenape Technical School Practical Nursing Program | Ford City | public | $20,761 | 86.8% | $46,756 |
| Eastern Center for Arts and Technology | Willow Grove | public | $25,158 | not reported | $56,446 |
| All-State Career School | Essington | private for-profit | $18,205 | 61.7% | $38,495 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | public | $25,110 | 61% | $52,567 |
| PITC Institute | Wyncote | private for-profit | $28,276 | 49.6% | $58,389 |
| Lackawanna College | Scranton | private nonprofit | $19,951 | 37.8% | $41,000 |
| Fayette County Career & Technical Institute Practical Nursing Program | Uniontown | public | $24,194 | 72.4% | $49,229 |
| Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology | Lewistown | public | $23,610 | 76.1% | $47,765 |
| Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County | Scranton | public | $22,521 | 67.2% | $45,555 |
| Pennsylvania Institute of Technology | Media | private nonprofit | $17,850 | 46.2% | $35,703 |
| Indiana County Technology Center | Indiana | public | $18,822 | 72.7% | $34,858 |
| Commonwealth Technical Institute | Johnstown | private nonprofit | $11,714 | 81.4% | $21,632 |
| Penn Commercial Business/Technical School | Washington | private for-profit | $18,350 | 52.7% | $31,736 |
| West Virginia Junior College-United Career Institute | Irwin | private for-profit | $19,285 | 83.3% | $31,912 |
| Great Lakes Institute of Technology | Erie | private for-profit | $17,540 | 69.7% | $28,704 |
| Fortis Institute-Scranton | Scranton | private for-profit | $20,186 | 56.3% | $30,224 |
| Lansdale School of Business | North Wales | private for-profit | $27,483 | 76.7% | $37,442 |
| Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia | Philadelphia | private for-profit | $29,960 | 49.6% | $32,473 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Allentown | Allentown | private for-profit | $36,348 | 66.1% | $38,683 |
| Hazleton Area Career Center | Hazle TWP. | public | not reported | not reported | $49,311 |
| Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center | Springville | public | $5,594 | 96.7% | not reported |
| Health and Technology Training Institute | Philadelphia | private nonprofit | $37,010 | not reported | not reported |
| Falcon Institute of Health and Science | Bethlehem | private for-profit | $28,869 | 65.6% | not reported |
| The Rapha School | Home | private for-profit | $14,879 | 95.3% | not reported |
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 Pennsylvania
- How much do Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) schools cost in Pennsylvania?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 50 practical nursing (LPN/LVN) schools in Pennsylvania is $16,779. 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 Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania requires an LPN license from the State Board of Nursing to practice practical nursing. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED, a board-approved practical nursing program (typically 12-18 months), 3 hours of child abuse training, an FBI fingerprint background check (required since July 2025), and a passing NCLEX-PN score; the initial fee runs $95-$145. Pennsylvania participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact and issues multistate licenses.
- Can you get paid to train as a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) in Pennsylvania?
- Yes — Pennsylvania has 11 registered apprenticeship programs where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the practical nursing (LPN/LVN) apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a practical nursing (LPN/LVN) earn in Pennsylvania?
- Working practical nursing (LPN/LVN) professionals in Pennsylvania earn a median of $63,940 per year, ranging from about $51,500 to $77,750 (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 Pennsylvania
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Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) schools in nearby states
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See all states & the full practical nursing (LPN/LVN) guide →