Best LPN Programs in Boston 2026
Discover Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs in Boston, Massachusetts with details on schools, coursework, tuition, and clinical training. Learn about licensing requirements and nursing career opportunities in the Boston area.
2027 Best LPN Programs in Boston, MA
Quinsigamond Community College
Worcester, MA - Public 2-Year - qcc.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Certificate
Online & Campus Based - Visit Website
Quinsigamond Community College's Practical Nursing Certificate is a five-semester, 46-credit hybrid program preparing students for the NCLEX-PN. The curriculum integrates classroom theory, laboratory practice, and clinical rotations across Worcester County and MetroWest, covering anatomy, pharmacology, medical-surgical nursing, mental health, and maternal-pediatric care. Approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing and ACEN-accredited, the program boasts a 97.5% NCLEX pass rate for 2024. Admission requires a 2.7 GPA, prerequisite courses, and the TEAS entrance exam. Credit for prior learning is accepted. With weekend and evening clinical options, it offers flexibility for working students. Graduates qualify for entry-level LPN positions in hospitals, clinics, long-term care, and home health.
- ACEN accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: TEAS
- $227 per credit
- 5-Semester program
- 46 total credit hours
- Starts summer
- 90% licensure pass rate
- 2.7 GPA minimum
- Prerequisite courses required
Massachusetts Bay Community College
Wellesley Hills, MA - Public 2-Year - massbay.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Certificate
Campus Based - Visit Website
At Massachusetts Bay Community College, the Practical Nursing Certificate is an accelerated 40-week, full-time program offered at the Framingham campus with a fall start. The curriculum integrates theory, laboratory practice, and clinical rotations to develop competencies in patient-centered care, communication, leadership, and evidence-based practice. Graduates are ready to sit for the NCLEX-PN and pursue careers in hospitals, long-term care, clinics, and home health. The program holds ACEN accreditation and Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing approval, and it boasts a perfect 100% NCLEX-PN pass rate. Small cohorts, dedicated faculty, and hands-on clinical placements enhance the learning experience, offering a direct pathway to LPN licensure in a growing healthcare field.
- ACEN accredited
- 40-Week program
- Full-time enrollment
- 1 start dates per year
- Starts fall
- 100% licensure pass rate
- Prepares for NCLEX-PN
- Approved by MA Board of Nursing
- Clinical experiences in hospitals and clinics
- Fall start only
Northern Essex Community College
Haverhill, MA - Public 2-Year - necc.mass.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Certificate
Campus Based - Visit Website
Northern Essex Community College’s Practical Nursing Certificate is an ACEN-accredited, Massachusetts BORN-approved pathway to LPN licensure. Combining classroom theory, lab practice, and supervised clinical experiences in hospitals, clinics, schools, long-term care, and home health, the curriculum covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and essential nursing skills. Graduates achieve a 100% job placement rate and an 85% NCLEX-PN pass rate, with preparation built into the program. In-state tuition is $346 per credit, and the program is military-friendly. Credits can transfer to NECC’s associate degree in nursing, enabling continued education and career growth. This certificate offers a practical, affordable entry into nursing for aspiring LPNs.
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing accredited
- $346 per credit
- 85% licensure pass rate
- 100% job placement rate
- Prepares for NCLEX-PN
- NCLEX-PN exam preparation
- Transfer to associate degree in nursing
- Multiple supervised clinical experiences
- Approved by Massachusetts BORN
- Practice settings: hospitals, clinics, schools
Quincy College
Quincy, MA - Public 4-Year - quincycollege.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Certificate of Completion in Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Quincy College offers a Certificate of Completion in Practical Nursing, a focused 10-month full-time pathway to LPN licensure. The concept-based curriculum blends evidence-based instruction with hands-on clinical rotations at top Massachusetts healthcare facilities. Coursework includes fundamentals of nursing, adult health nursing, and nursing across the continuum, supplemented by anatomy, physiology, algebra, and human growth. Students must complete prerequisites in college algebra, anatomy and physiology, and growth and development, and pass the TEAS entrance exam. The program prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN and entry-level roles in hospitals, nursing homes, home care, and schools. Offered at Quincy and Plymouth campuses with fall and spring starts, it holds candidate status with ACEN and full approval from the Massachusetts Board of Registered Nursing.
- ACEN, MABORN accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: TEAS
- 10-Month program
- Complete in as little as ten months
- 44 total credit hours
- 7 total courses
- Apply by 2026-05-31
- Full-time enrollment
- 2 start dates per year
North Shore Community College
Danvers, MA - Public 2-Year - northshore.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Certificate
Campus Based - Visit Website
North Shore Community College's Practical Nursing Certificate is an intensive 10-month, ACEN-accredited program that leads to LPN licensure and NCLEX-PN eligibility. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, technical skills, and hands-on clinical experience across hospitals, long-term care, home health, and community health settings. With a 95% licensure pass rate and 89% job placement, graduates are prepared for diverse roles from hospice to school nursing. The program offers scholarships, transfer pathways to four-year institutions, and is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. This campus-based certificate provides a supportive environment and a direct route to a stable nursing career.
- ACEN accredited
- 10-Month program
- 95% licensure pass rate
- 89% job placement rate
- Prepares for NCLEX-PN
- Scholarships available
- Approved by Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
- Clinical experiences in diverse healthcare settings
- Eligibility for NCLEX-PN licensure
- Transfer options to four-year institutions
Boston LPN Program Overview
Licensed Practical Nurses play a hands-on role across Boston’s healthcare system by delivering direct patient care under the supervision of Registered Nurses and physicians. In Massachusetts, LPNs contribute to patient assessment, implement care plans, administer medications within scope, and support care coordination across inpatient and community settings.
Boston’s healthcare landscape includes major academic medical centers, community hospitals, federally qualified health centers, long-term care and rehabilitation facilities, and home health agencies. Consistent with national employment patterns reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, many LPN positions in the Boston area are found in nursing and residential care facilities, home health, physician offices, and outpatient clinics, with additional roles in hospital-based ambulatory and specialty units. These diverse settings sustain steady local demand for practical nurses, particularly in long-term and community-based care.
Most Boston-area practical nursing programs are designed as certificate or diploma pathways that can typically be completed in about 10 to 12 months of full-time study. Many schools also offer extended or part-time options that may take approximately 18 to 24 months, pairing weekday or evening coursework with weekend or block clinical rotations. Curricula commonly combine classroom instruction in foundational nursing and pharmacology with skills labs and supervised clinical placements in local hospitals, nursing homes, and community agencies to prepare graduates for entry-level practice.
Graduates must pass the NCLEX-PN examination to obtain licensure in Massachusetts. Practical nursing education programs and LPN licensure are overseen by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, which establishes education standards, approves programs, and determines eligibility for licensure by examination. Programs in Boston explicitly prepare students for the NCLEX-PN through integrated test preparation, clinical judgment development, and competency-based practice aligned to board requirements.
Employment Opportunities for LPNs in Boston
The healthcare landscape in Boston offers a positive and growing outlook for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). In Massachusetts, LPN employment is projected to increase by approximately 6.3 percent between 2022 and 2032, leading to an estimated 569 annual job openings. This growth rate surpasses the national average for all occupations, indicating a steady demand for skilled practical and vocational nurses throughout the state. While Massachusetts primarily uses the title Licensed Practical Nurse, the roles and responsibilities are consistent with those of Licensed Vocational Nurses in other regions. The increasing demand for healthcare professionals is largely driven by an aging population and the rising prevalence of chronic health conditions.
LPNs play a crucial role in providing direct patient care across a diverse array of healthcare settings in and around Boston. Key employers range from large hospital systems to specialized home health agencies and residential care facilities. The types of facilities that commonly hire LPNs include:
- Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing Homes:These facilities represent the largest segment of LPN employment in Massachusetts, with a significant number of LPNs working in this sector. Many nursing homes and skilled nursing centers in the Boston area actively seek LPNs, including Highland Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Chestnut Woods Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, and North End Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.
- Home Health Agencies:The home health sector is a significant and expanding employer for LPNs, with a reported high vacancy rate for these professionals in home and community-based services. Prominent agencies with a presence in the Boston area that frequently hire LPNs include Amedisys, BAYADA Home Health Care, Vitra Health, and Caring Hearts Homecare.
- Hospitals and Acute Care Settings:While traditionally focused on Registered Nurses, acute care hospitals are increasingly recruiting LPNs to address staffing needs, given a reported vacancy rate. Major hospital systems in the region offer various nursing opportunities.
- Senior Living and Assisted Living Facilities:With an aging population, LPNs are in high demand within residential care facilities and senior living communities. Facilities known to hire LPNs include Brookdale Senior Living, Charter Senior Living of Dedham, and HallKeen Assisted Living Communities, such as Susan Bailis Assisted Living in Boston.
- Rehabilitation Centers:LPNs are essential members of the care teams at rehabilitation facilities, providing support for patients recovering from illness or injury. Many of the skilled nursing facilities also provide comprehensive rehabilitation services.
- Private Practices and Outpatient Care Centers:LPNs can also find opportunities in various outpatient care centers and physician offices throughout Boston and its surrounding suburbs, with positions identified in areas like Chestnut Hill.
- School Health:LPNs are employed as school nurses, often through staffing agencies that serve the Boston public school system and other educational institutions in the area.
- Adult Day Health Centers:Facilities like MENTOR Adult Day Health and Cape Verdean Well Adult Day Care in Dorchester hire LPNs to provide care and support during the day.
- Behavioral Health and Addiction Recovery:Opportunities for LPNs exist in behavioral health settings and addiction recovery centers, including various Massachusetts Detox Centers.
In addition to these diverse settings, several well-known healthcare systems and networks are significant employers for LPNs in the Boston area:
- Beth Israel Lahey Health: As a major integrated healthcare system serving eastern Massachusetts, including Boston, Beth Israel Lahey Health frequently has nursing roles, including for LPNs, across its numerous hospitals, ambulatory sites, and physician practices.
- Boston Children’s Hospital: This renowned institution offers a range of nursing opportunities and maintains a diverse healthcare workforce.
- Major home health providers like Amedisys and BAYADA Home Health Care maintain a strong presence, consistently seeking LPNs for their services throughout the Boston metropolitan area.
- Large senior living and rehabilitation networks, including Brookdale Senior Living, Charter Senior Living, and Erickson Senior Living, frequently post LPN positions across their numerous facilities in greater Boston.
- Various staffing agencies, such as IntelyCare, Sunbelt Staffing, Amergis, and ProCare Therapy, also play a vital role in connecting LPNs with temporary, per diem, and permanent positions in a wide array of Boston-area healthcare facilities, including hospitals, schools, and long-term care settings.
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