Becoming an LPN in New York City

Last Updated/Verified: Feb 24, 2024

Currently, LPNs in New York comprise about a quarter of the entire nursing population in the city. There are a variety of post-secondary educational institutions which offer LPN programs to students in the area. The primary goal of LPN programs in New York are to produce exceedingly competent, first rate LPNs who are immediately prepared to enter the practical nursing workforce upon successful completion of their respective program.

At most post-secondary institutions in New York which have LPN programs, program hours are generally carried out on-campus and include a combination of in-class lecturing/instruction and coursework, laboratory sessions/simulations and clinical practice at hospitals or other healthcare facilities.

There are eight institutions in America’s largest city, New York City, which offer students licensed practical nursing (LPN) certificate programs. Each is accredited by the New York State Office of Professions—Nursing. There are four separate and distinct nursing professions in the State of New York: Nurse Practitioner, Registered Professional Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Licensed Practical Nurse.

Schools That Offer LPN Programs in New York, NY

Manhattan

Mildred Elley School

Website: https://www.mildred-elley.edu/campus/newyork/programs/practical-nursing-lpn/
Address: 25 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
Phone: 866-878-0041

Mildred Elley School—New York was originally founded by Augusta Mildred Elley in 1917. Its original fifty students graduated from the school in 1919. The school was created initially to specifically educate women for secretarial positions. In 1985 under Ronald Reagan’s administration, new educational installations and arrangements were enacted throughout the country. As a part of this new program, the college was given degree-granting authority from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, and the school expanded the number of programs which it provided to its students.

MES—NYC is a college which offers both professional certificates as well as two-year degree programs. It maintains campuses in New York City, Albany and Pittsfield Massachusetts. The school is divided into 3 divisions: Business and Tech, Health and Wellness, and the Extension School.

MES—NYC’s Practical Nursing Certificate program is a post-secondary level, college program which prepares those who enrolled for licensure as an LPN in New York state. Finishing MES—NYC’s LPN program will leave students extraordinarily well prepared for passing the NCLEX-PN examination.

On average, MES—NYC’s LPN program take students 18 months to complete. The school’s comprehensive program is constructed to impart both clinical and lab skills needed to become a legitimate and successful working LPN. Classes are offered to students during the day, during evenings and on the weekends. Unlike most programs, free tutoring and personalized student attention is also offered through MES—NYC’s LPN program. On last thing that sets the school apart from others is that it maintains lifetime job placement assistance to its LPN graduates.

For those individuals who wish to obtain more information regarding the admission requirements and process for the LPN program, contact one of the school’s Admission Representatives.

Bronx

Monroe College

Website: https://www.monroecollege.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/school-nursing
Address: 2501 Jerome Ave, Bronx, NY 10468
Phone: 800-556-6676

First founded in 1933, Monroe College is a for-profit collection of American colleges based in the state of New York and named after the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe. MC has campuses in New York, Saint Lucia, New Rochelle, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

During their time in the program, individuals will acquire specific and specialized skills and knowledge which will allow them to meet the health needs of patients in many different healthcare settings. Students are taught the all-important clinical problem-solving skills process during their many experiences in clinical settings throughout the course. They are taught to collect and arrange health care data, contribute and coordinate effectively and efficiently with interprofessional healthcare teams, and to help doctors and nurses to identify health needs and patient problems.

Admission Criteria:

Provide admissions and records department with a high school transcript/diploma or GED certificate of equivalency
Must have completed the following high school classes with a C+ (75% average) or better:
- Algebra
- Biology
- Chemistry
Completion of ATI TEAS examination with a score in the ‘proficient’ range or better

Bronx Community College

Website: http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/academics/academic-departments/nursing-and-allied-health-sciences-department/degree-certificate-courses/licensed-practical-nursing-certificate/
Address: 2155 University Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
Phone: 718-289-5100

The Bronx Community College (BCC) was originally established in 1957 by a collection of civic minded groups who felt there was a growing need for additional higher education learning facilities. Currently ranked 10^th in the state according to our 2017 annual state rankings, BCC is a part of the larger City University New York system. BCC works hard to allow their students to transition from the college to their respective job field seamlessly.

BCC’s LPN program takes place on either weekends or evenings so as to accommodate working students. Collectively, the program is comprised of 56 unit hours. After successful completion of all required curriculum, students can then sit for the New York State NCLEX-PN exam.

BCC offers the following advantages over other schools:

Allows students to transfer 43 college credits to additional programs in case they wish to pressure additional studies
Allows the articulation to BCC’s RN program following the completion of the LPN program
Provides a variety of Financial Aid awards

Admission Requirements:

If a student is to be eligible for admission into the LPN program, they’ll need to:

Show proof of documentation for at least one of the following:
- US Citizenship
- International Student with F1 Status
- Permanent Residency
- Granted Asylum, Refugee Status, Temporary Protected Status, etc. by the United States government
Have taken assessments and have received a score that’s passing on both CUNY/ACT Reading and Writing Skills Assessment Tests
Have scored at least a 35/40 on M1 Arithmetic and M2 Algebra of the Math COMPASS or CUNY Exemption
Have maintained a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in the following courses: Communication 11, English 10 or 11 and Psychology 11
Have successfully finished Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS)
Have purchased medical malpractice insurance through the school
Have been cleared in a medical sense via the College’s Health and Services Office

Hostos Community College

Website: https://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Administrative-Offices/Office-of-Academic-Affairs/Departments/Allied-Health/Nursing/Programs/LPN-Program
Address: 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
Phone: 718-518-4444

Founded in 1968 by an act of the Board of Higher Education, Hostos Community College

(HCC) was originally created to meet the educational needs of the Hispanic and Puerto Rican communities in South Bronx. Around this time, community leaders lobbied politicians and urged other establishment leaders to bring a community college into existence.

The LPN program at HCC takes 3 semesters to complete in full, including two semesters of pre-clinical courses and one semester of clinical courses. Like the vast majority of LPN programs around the country, students at HCC receive a mixture of classroom instruction (pre-clinical instruction sequence) in addition to hands-on clinical education where students assist in treating patients alongside healthcare professionals at all kinds of healthcare clinics (i.e. rehabilitation centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and community healthcare centers).

Admission Criteria:

Students seeking admission into HCC must complete the following prior to enrollment:

High School diploma or GED equivalent
Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 2.75:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Basic Life Support (BLS)
- Sociology or Ethnicity HLT & ILL
- Psychology: Life-Span Development and Behavior
Receive a minimum passing score of the ATI TEAS exam
Fill out online or physical enrollment application and agreement and any additional required paperwork

Brooklyn

AMG School of Licensed Practical Nursing

Website: https://www.amg.edu/lpn-program/
Address: 3011, 147 Prince St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-596-5300

Recently established in 2012, the AMG School of Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) is situated in the middle of historic downtown Brooklyn, New York. The campus features large oversized classrooms as well as a brand new, state of the art clinical nursing laboratory fully equipped with everything from SIMS mannequins, hospital beds, and more.

Admission Criteria:

Prospective LPN Students will need to submit the following:

Formal application to the school along with a $50 application fee and $100 testing fee
Provide three different forms of valid ID
Proof of original high school diploma or GED equivalency
Take the HESI Admissions test and receive adequate scores
- The examination tests Basic Education skills in reading, math and critical thinking – if any portion is failed then the exam is failed
Complete a successful interview with a staff member from the LPN program

Clara Barton High School

Website: https://www.clarabartonhs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=990726&type=d&pREC_ID=1306721
Address: 901 Classon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Phone: 718-636-4900

Named after Clara Barton, the humanitarian, nurse and teacher, Clara Barton High School for Health Professions is a public high school located in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. The high school is operated by the New York City Department of Education and has a wide collection of health profession programs which include Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN), Nurse Assisting, Pharmacy Assisting, EMT, Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting and more.

The high school has an incredible ‘Clinical Program’, which enables seniors in various health careers to work in a hospital for half their day and then attend school for the other half. They may alternately choose to work a week, then attend high school for a week. Students are able to graduate as LPNs and be gainfully employed in the healthcare field immediately upon graduating. Additionally, students can be certified in a number of other fields after they graduate.

Medgar Evers College

Website: https://www.mec.cuny.edu/academic-affairs/nursing/certificate-in-practical-nursing/
Address: 2010, 1650 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Phone: 718-270-4900

Originally established in 1970, Medgar Evers College is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY) that is named after Medgar Wiley Evers, an African American civil rights leader who was assassinated in the early 1960s. The college has specific departments: the School of Science, Health and Technology; the School of Liberal Arts and Education; the School of Business; and the School of Professional and Community Development.

The majority of students who enroll in the LPN program finish in 18 months, or 3 semesters. The main goal of Medgar Evers College’s LPN program is to produce nurses who can play vital roles in patient-care teams in many different healthcare settings. The program assists in preparing its graduates to practice under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. Lastly, MEC helps its students build a basic foundation for upward mobility in the nursing sector of the healthcare field—meaning the MEC LPN program provides them the tools needed to move up as registered nurses.

Core courses:

Nutrition
PN Medical/Surgical Nursing I & II
College Composition
Human Body Structure and Function
PN State Board Review

Admission Criteria:

Each and every individual who applies to the Practical Nurse Program at MEC needs to:

Have obtained a High School Diploma or GED equivalency
Have finished all of the basic skills course work before being considered for admission into the LPN program
Take the CUNY Skills Assessment Examinations (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) and pass in each area
Take the NLN Pre-entrance Examination and achieve a satisfactory score
Upon acceptance attend a mandatory nursing orientation
Be in possession of a current CPR certification
Provide an up to date medical clearance to include New York State Department of Health requirements
Undergo a satisfactory physical examination and have a record on file which shows that the student has undergone hepatitis B testing
Purchase student uniform for MEC Nursing after being accepted into the LPN program (to be done prior to the first course meeting)

Staten Island

Curtis High School

Website: https://www.curtishs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=360476&type=d
Address: 105 Hamilton Ave, Staten Island, NY 10301
Phone: 718-390-1800

Unlike most vocational college LPN programs, which can be completed in anywhere from 1 to 2 years time, Curtis High School’s LPN program is completed by students over the last two years of their high school studies—junior through senior. Curtis High School’s LPN program provides some of the highest-level preparation for pre-college students seeking New York State certification.

The high school’s LPN program familiarizes students with elemental nursing skills that both promote and maintain holistic wellness, while at the same time teaching students to handle the vital needs of patients. Curriculum within the program is carried out via in-class (didactic) lectures, where topics like anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, fundamentals of nursing and growth and development are introduced to students. Laboratories, seminars and practicums assist students in learning more real word and advanced nursing skills which aim at restoring, promoting, and maintaining physical health in patients. In its entirety, the LPN program at Curtis High School has over 1,500 hours of classroom and clinical hours which help students to prepare for certification as an LPN.

Admission Criteria:

Because the LPN program at Curtis High School takes place before college, admission criteria is quite different than post-secondary universities or colleges. With that being said, the school’s webpage does provide a few requirements that students who are thinking about enrolling in the school’s LPN program should maintain:

Freshmen Year
- Have superb class attendance
- Maintain 65 average for NA / 75 average for PN
- Take and do well in a computer class and a career and financial management class
Sophomore Year
- Take health occupation education
- Pass an entrance exam within the 50^th percentile or better
- Write a successful essay
- Carry out a successful interview with a staff member

Employment Opportunities for LPNs in New York, New York

Those who have finished their LPN programs should not have difficulty finding gainful employment in a variety of healthcare sectors, including rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, private physician offices, senior living centers, medical clinics and hospitals.

The healthcare facilities and hospitals in New York City boroughs which employ significant numbers of LPNs include the following:

Manhattan

Brooklyn

Queens

The Bronx

Staten Island

Learn more about New York LPN Programs or New York LPN Jobs.