The Best LPN Programs for Working CNAs

If you’re working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and want to advance your nursing career, online and hybrid licensed practical nurse (LPN) programs offer a logical path forward. These flexible options allow you to build on your clinical experience while continuing to work, making it easier to balance your studies with your job.

By enrolling in a CNA-to-LPN program, you can expand your scope of practice, increase your earning potential, and take on greater responsibilities in patient care without stepping away from your current role. CNA-to-LPN programs offer streamlined scheduling to fit into your busy life, designed to help you move quickly from entry-level care to a more advanced nursing position.

Herzing University’s Practical Nursing (LPN Prep) diploma is a 37-credit program that can be completed in as few as 12 months on campus, making it a fast‐track option for experienced CNAs. The curriculum blends general education and core nursing classes, with general education courses offered online to provide flexibility while the essential nursing and clinical components are delivered in person.

Admissions are open with rolling applications, and applicants can transfer up to 27 approved credits, helping reduce time and cost for those who have prior relevant coursework. Tuition is calculated per credit with financial aid, scholarships, and military/veteran discounts available.

*Six of Herzing’s campuses offer an ACEN-accredited LPN program: Birmingham, Brookfield, Kenosha, Madison, Orlando, and Tampa.

**Average NCLEX-PN pass rate is based on only the ACEN-accredited programs.

Go to Herzing’s LPN Programs

Lake Area Tech’s licensed practical nursing (LPN) degree is a hybrid program combining online theory and on-campus clinical and simulation labs, designed to offer greater flexibility to working students. It can be completed in 11 months full-time or 18 months part-time, making it relatively short for CNAs who want to advance their careers quickly.

Admission requirements include a high school diploma or equivalent, official transcripts, and passing the ATI-TEAS entrance exam. Transfer or prior general education credits are accepted toward prerequisite courses like anatomy, composition, psychology, and medical terminology.

Go to LATC’s LPN Program

Midlands Technical College (MTC) offers an accredited program leading to a diploma in practical nursing that balances classroom theory, simulation labs, and clinical externships. The flexible delivery format includes traditional on-campus classes, hybrid formats, virtual live instructor sessions, and some fully online coursework.

To apply, you’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent, a minimum 2.0 GPA in MTC coursework, and complete the prerequisite courses like English Composition, Anatomy & Physiology, Psychology, and Math. Transfer credit for comparable courses may satisfy these prerequisites. MTC also offers an LPN-to-ADN program, so students can continue their education.

Go to MTC’s LPN Program

Northwest Technical College’s (NTC’s) practical nursing diploma prepares students to deliver direct patient care in settings like hospitals, clinics, and long-term care. Much of the curriculum is in-person, including clinicals and labs.

NTC partners with Sanford Health to offer a forgivable loan program to its LPN students. To receive this financial resource (up to $10,000), you must commit to working for Sanford for at least two years post graduation.

Admission requirements include a score of 70 or higher on the HSRT-AD (Health Sciences Reasoning Test) and a GPA of at least 2.76 for prerequisite courses. The program accepts some transfer credits and allows students to further their education via the associate of science in nursing (ASN) track, if desired.

Go to NTC’s LPN Program

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College’s CNA+ to Practical Nursing Bridge Program offers one of the most affordable CNA-to-LPN programs leading to licensure. Designed as a hybrid model, much of the didactic coursework blends online lectures and modules with live Zoom sessions, while clinicals and skills labs are held in person.

Admission requirements include prerequisite English and math coursework and the TEAS test. Transfer credits for prerequisites may be accepted, reducing total time and cost. The program is a practical bridge for working CNAs, allowing tuition assistance for prerequisite classes and scheduling flexibility.

Go to UHMC’s CNA-to-LPN Program

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is a national organization that reviews and accredits nursing education programs. This ensures the program meets established standards of quality. ACEN accreditation matters for LPN programs because it confirms the program provides rigorous, up-to-date training recognized by employers, state boards, and licensing bodies.

Graduating from an ACEN-accredited CNA-to-LPN program can improve your job prospects, help you transfer credits to higher nursing degrees, and ensure your eligibility for financial aid. It assures students that their education meets industry standards for nursing excellence.

Data beginning in 2015 demonstrate that salaries for CNAs are roughly $20,000 less than for LPNs. The difference in salaries was $17,000 in 2015 and increased to $22,000 in 2024. The overall salaries rose for CNAs from $25,720 in 2015 to $39,530 in 2024. Similarly, salaries for LPNs rose from $43,170 in 2015 to $62,340 in 2024.

The percentage of the salary difference was higher for CNAs and higher compared to the increase in cost of living, or consumer price index (CPI). From 2015 to 2024, the CPI was approximately 36%. During that same time period, CNA salaries rose by 53.7%, on average, while LPN salaries rose by 44.4%.