Best LPN Programs in Charlotte 2026
Find Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs in Charlotte, North Carolina with information on schools, classes, tuition, and clinical training. Learn about licensing requirements and nursing career opportunities in the Charlotte area.
2026 Best LPN Programs in Charlotte, NC
Stanly Community College
Albemarle, NC - Public 2-Year - stanly.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Stanly Community College's 12-month Practical Nursing program prepares students for the NCLEX-PN exam and LPN licensure, with accreditation from the North Carolina Board of Nursing and NLN CNEA. The curriculum blends general education with nursing courses, emphasizing critical thinking, safety, and holistic patient care across diverse healthcare settings like hospitals and clinics. Admission requires the TEAS exam, CPR certification, background checks, and drug screening. Affordable tuition, flexible schedules, and financial aid options make this program accessible, while small classes and hands-on clinical training provide personalized learning experiences for aspiring nurses.
- 12-month program duration.
- Accredited by NC Board of Nursing.
- Eligible for NCLEX-PN licensure.
- Combines general and nursing education.
- Focus on critical thinking and safety.
- Affordable tuition for in-state residents.
- Flexible class schedules.
- Prepares for diverse healthcare settings.
- Includes clinical training.
- Emphasizes holistic patient care.
Gaston College
Dallas, NC - Public 2-Year - gaston.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Gaston College's Practical Nursing diploma program delivers comprehensive training for aspiring LPNs, emphasizing holistic patient care and interdisciplinary teamwork. Through nationally accredited coursework, students master evidence-based practices and healthcare informatics while preparing for the NCLEX-PN exam. Graduates are equipped for diverse roles in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities, with a strong focus on safe, individualized patient interventions and quality improvement methodologies.
- Nationally accredited program
- NCLEX-PN exam preparation
- Holistic patient care focus
- Evidence-based practice training
- Multiple healthcare employment paths
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, NC - Public 2-Year - rccc.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College's ACEN-accredited Practical Nursing diploma program develops skilled LPNs through evidence-based training in patient safety and holistic care. Students master interdisciplinary collaboration and individualized nursing techniques, preparing for diverse roles in hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers. The curriculum directly targets NCLEX-PN success, with North Carolina LPNs earning approximately $47,080 annually. This campus-based program emphasizes quality healthcare delivery without requiring entrance exams, focusing entirely on building clinical competencies for immediate workforce entry.
- Diploma in Practical Nursing
- ACEN Accredited Program
- NCLEX-PN Exam Preparation
- Holistic Patient Care Focus
- Multiple Healthcare Employment Settings
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, NC - Public 2-Year - cpcc.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Dickson Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Central Piedmont Community College's Dickson Practical Nursing program delivers a comprehensive one-year diploma, preparing students for diverse healthcare roles. The curriculum integrates anatomy, physiology, and evidence-based nursing practices, emphasizing quality improvement and safe patient care. Graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-PN exam, a key step toward licensure as an LPN. With no specific concentration, the program covers broad nursing fundamentals, making it ideal for those seeking a foundational education. Admission requires a high school diploma or equivalent, ensuring accessibility without entrance exams like ACT or SAT. This pathway equips students with practical skills for various healthcare settings, fostering career readiness in Charlotte's nursing landscape.
- One-year diploma program.
- Eligible for NCLEX-PN exam.
- Focus on evidence-based practice.
- Comprehensive nursing curriculum.
- High school diploma required.
- Covers anatomy and physiology.
- Prepares for various healthcare settings.
- Emphasizes quality improvement.
- Includes practical nursing courses.
- Offers a pathway to licensure.
Southeastern College-Charlotte
Charlotte, NC - Private 2-year - sec.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nurse Diploma
Campus Based - Visit Website
Southeastern College-Charlotte's 12-month Practical Nurse Diploma program delivers intensive, campus-based training for aspiring LPNs in Charlotte. Students gain hands-on clinical experience in hospitals and extended care facilities, mastering essential skills like vital signs measurement, patient observation, and routine lab tests. The curriculum emphasizes pharmacology, holistic care, and adherence to the North Carolina Nurse Practice Act, with strong preparation for the NCLEX-PN exam. Admission requires a high school diploma or GED, passing the ATI TEAS entrance exam, and a background check. Graduates are well-equipped for roles in long-term care, home health, and outpatient settings, focusing on bedside care under supervision.
- 12-month program duration
- On-campus learning
- 43.0 credit hours required
- Clinical experience included
- High school diploma or GED needed
- ATI TEAS exam required
- Background check mandatory
- Focus on basic bedside care
- Learn vital signs measurement
- Routine laboratory tests training
Charlotte LPN Program Overview
Licensed Practical Nurses play a pivotal role in Charlotte’s healthcare system by delivering direct bedside care, administering medications under the direction of registered nurses and providers, supporting chronic disease management, and coordinating with families and interdisciplinary teams. In a city anchored by large integrated health systems and a broad network of post-acute and community-based providers, LPNs help maintain access to safe, timely care across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Charlotte’s healthcare landscape includes major hospital systems, extensive long-term care and rehabilitation facilities, home health and hospice agencies, and busy ambulatory clinics, creating a wide range of entry points for new LPNs. Common employment settings for practical nurses in the region include:
- Hospitals and specialty units within large health systems
- Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and rehabilitation centers
- Home health and hospice agencies serving Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas
- Primary care, specialty clinics, and urgent care centers
State workforce summaries consistently show that LPNs in North Carolina are most concentrated in long-term care and home health, with steady demand in ambulatory clinics. These patterns align with Charlotte’s mix of facilities and the area’s growing population, which sustains ongoing hiring needs for practical nurses. National labor data also indicate stable employment prospects for LPNs, particularly in nursing and residential care and home health settings.
Charlotte-area practical nursing programs are designed to prepare graduates for entry-level practice and licensure. Typical timelines include:
- Full-time daytime tracks that can be completed in approximately 12 months
- Part-time or evening/weekend options, where available, that extend program length to roughly 18 to 24 months
Curricula generally blend classroom instruction in foundational nursing, pharmacology, adult and geriatric care, maternal-child health, and mental health with supervised clinical rotations in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community settings throughout the Charlotte area. Graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-PN examination.
LPN education and licensure in North Carolina are overseen by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, which approves practical nursing programs, sets educational standards, and publishes examination and program outcome data. To become licensed, applicants must complete a board-approved program, meet all application and background check requirements, and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Employment Opportunities for LPNs in Charlotte
The vibrant healthcare landscape in Charlotte, North Carolina, presents a wealth of opportunities for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The state’s nursing workforce shows promising signs of addressing historical shortages, with an anticipated annual average of 1,180 job openings for LPNs across North Carolina from 2022 through 2032. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 5% growth in LPN employment from 2022 to 2032, with about 54,800 openings projected each year, on average, over the decade. As of April 1, 2024, the North Carolina Board of Nursing reported 23,283 licensed LPNs in the state, with 17,294 actively practicing nursing in NC.
LPNs in Charlotte can explore diverse employment settings, including:
- Hospitals:Major hospital systems are significant employers. Advocate Health, headquartered in Charlotte and operating Carolinas Medical Center, frequently hires LPNs for various units. Similarly, Novant Health, which includes Presbyterian Medical Center, also offers numerous LPN positions.
- Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities:These facilities are a cornerstone of LPN employment, providing essential direct patient care. Notable examples in the Charlotte area include Peak Resources Charlotte, Mecklenburg Health & Rehabilitation, Matthews Health and Rehab, and Royal Park Rehabilitation and Health Center.
- Private Practices and Outpatient Clinics:LPNs are integral to a variety of private and specialized clinics. Both Advocate Health and Novant Health systems employ LPNs in family medicine, pediatric, adolescent health (such as Atrium Health Teen Health Connection), and specialty clinics like gastrointestinal or spine care.
- Rehabilitation Centers:Facilities dedicated to patient recovery from illness or injury offer LPN roles. Examples include Mecklenburg Health & Rehabilitation and Matthews Health and Rehab (mentioned above), as well as Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Mill, located just south of Charlotte. Carolinas Rehabilitation, part of the Advocate Health system, provides comprehensive services.
- Senior Living and Assisted Living Facilities:LPNs play a crucial role in monitoring residents’ health and delivering care in these communities. Employers such as Brookdale Senior Living and Sunrise Senior Living (including Brighton Gardens of Charlotte) regularly seek LPNs.
- Home Health Agencies:This growing sector provides care directly to patients in their homes. Prominent agencies hiring LPNs in Charlotte include Maxim Healthcare Services, BAYADA Home Health Care, Adoration Home Health, and Amedisys.
- Other Settings:Opportunities extend to plasma donation centers like BioLife Plasma Services and facilities supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) such as RHA Health Services. Remote, non-clinical LPN positions are also becoming more common.
Major healthcare employers in Charlotte known for consistently hiring LPNs include the large integrated systems of Advocate Health (encompassing Atrium Health) and Novant Health across their extensive networks of hospitals and clinics. Additionally, leading home health and hospice providers like Amedisys, BAYADA Home Health Care, Adoration Home Health, and Maxim Healthcare Services offer substantial LPN employment opportunities, often with competitive benefits.
List of LPN Programs in Charlotte, NC
Charlotte, NC
Central Piedmont Community College
- Certificate/Diploma - Dickson Practical Nursing
Campus Based - Website
- One-year diploma program.
- Eligible for NCLEX-PN exam.
- Focus on evidence-based practice.
- Comprehensive nursing curriculum.
- High school diploma required.
- Covers anatomy and physiology.
- Prepares for various healthcare settings.
- Emphasizes quality improvement.
Southeastern College-Charlotte
- Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nurse Diploma
Campus Based - Website
- 12-month program duration
- On-campus learning
- 43.0 credit hours required
- Clinical experience included
- High school diploma or GED needed
- ATI TEAS exam required
- Background check mandatory
- Focus on basic bedside care