Nursing is a career field that continue to grow and as it does, more and more LPN programs are cropping up online and in hybrid forms. Tuition and fees will vary from state to state and even within the borders of a state.
Typical Costs of Online LPN Classes
While it is not possible to complete a full LPN program online, hybrid programs are available. Current LPNs can also complete refresher courses online. Costs for online LPN classes depend upon a number of factors that include:
- Type of institution
- Number of courses taken
- Cost of required and supplemental course materials
- Other associated fees
Hybrid Programs
Hybrid programs allow students to complete some of their academic coursework online, however clinical components and labs must still take place on campus or at a local medical facility. Some general courses in these programs may include health promotion and assessment, gerontology, medical-surgical nursing, nutrition, physiology, anatomy and pharmacology.
Schools offering hybrid programs often charge the same amount for both their online and on-campus courses. Specific tuition rates vary widely by school, but a sampling of hybrid LPN programs found that community colleges tend to charge about $106-$270 per credit, depending on the school and whether students pay in-state or out-of-state tuition. Additional costs include:
- Books
- Supplies
- Lab fees
- Uniform
- Insurance
- NCLEX-PN application fees might possibly be extra
For example, a 2-year school in Illinois estimated that the total cost, including all tuition, fees and expenses, for an in-state student in their hybrid LPN program was about $106 per credit hour or $2,780 total estimated cost for 2020-2021. In comparison, a community college in North Carolina reported that the total cost of their LPN program was about $3, 072.94 for in-state students and $6,144.94 for non-North Carolina residents.
Refresher Courses
Online refresher courses are available for LPNs as well. These courses are designed for inactive LPNs interested in returning to the field after an absence. The courses are typically divided in two parts, web-based training and an in-person clinical practicum. Web-based course topics may include pharmacology, adult health nursing and contemporary medical-surgical nursing. The clinical practicum consists of supervised, hands-on training and generally takes place in a hospital, long-term care facility or other healthcare setting.
The cost of this course also varies widely by school. For instance, a 4-year college in South Dakota offers an LPN refresher course for a $1500 flat rate, not including books, while a South Carolina community college offers the course for $1,600 in total cost, or $600 for the online didactic portion for six months.
Students interested in moving up the career ladder of nursing may wish to consider the LPN programs available at a lot of community colleges. Online, as well as hybrids and on-campus programs, are available and tuition and fees are based on location- local, in-state or out-of-state.
