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Best LPN Programs in Durham 2026

Discover Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs in Durham, North Carolina with details on schools, coursework, tuition, and clinical training. Review licensing requirements and nursing career opportunities in the Durham area.

Written by Jane Dewy and Edited by The PracticalNursing.org Editorial Team.
Expert Guide Verified updated on May 29th, 2025.
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Durham North Carolina LPN programs providing nursing education and hands-on clinical experience for entry-level nursing roles
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Cities in North Carolina

2027 Best LPN Programs in Durham, NC

Finding the best LPN programs in Durham, NC requires careful research. That's where practicalnursing.org steps in. We rank the top options by looking at accreditation, NCLEX pass rates, tuition costs, and student support. Durham has a growing healthcare scene, so choosing the right program matters. Our list highlights schools that give hands-on training and strong preparation for the licensing exam. But we don't just pick favorites. We gather official data and compare each program side by side. To keep everything fair and clear, we use a detailed scoring system. For a full look at how we rank, visit our rankings methodology page: https://www.practicalnursing.org/rankings-methodology/
#1

Durham Technical Community College

Durham, NC - Public 2-Year - durhamtech.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Diploma

Campus Based - Visit Website

Durham Technical Community College offers a Practical Nursing Diploma designed to launch your career as an LPN in just 12 months. This ACEN-accredited, campus-based program covers anatomy, nursing fundamentals, and holistic care, integrating hands-on clinical experiences across hospitals, clinics, and long-term care settings. The 44-credit curriculum requires prerequisite courses and an information session before applying. Tuition totals only $5,502, with financial aid available. Graduates are prepared to sit for the NCLEX-PN and can expect median earnings of $62,837. The program starts in the fall, offering a fast track to a rewarding healthcare career. Students praise the supportive, practical learning environment.

  • ACEN accredited
  • $5,502 total program tuition
  • 12-Month program
  • 44 total credit hours
  • 1 start dates per year
  • Starts fall
  • $62,837 median earnings
  • Prerequisite courses required
  • Prepares for NCLEX-PN
  • Financial aid available
#2

Piedmont Community College

Roxboro, NC - Public 2-Year - piedmontcc.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Piedmont Community College offers a Practical Nursing diploma designed to equip students with the skills to deliver evidence-based care across the lifespan in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. The curriculum combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical practice under the guidance of registered nurses and physicians. Applicants must apply between May 1 and September 1 and meet additional admissions criteria. A planning guide helps students sequence courses effectively. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty, the program ensures personalized attention. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-PN to become licensed practical nurses, ready to address diverse healthcare needs.

  • Evidence-based clinical practice focus
  • Care for individuals and groups
  • Additional admissions requirements
  • Program planning guide available
  • Application period: May 1 – September 1
#3

Alamance Community College

Graham, NC - Public 2-Year - alamancecc.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Alamance Community College offers a Practical Nursing diploma program designed to launch careers as Licensed Practical Nurses. This campus-based, three-semester day program begins each spring and combines classroom instruction with clinical experiences in hospitals, clinics, long-term care, and home health. The curriculum emphasizes safety, evidence-based practice, informatics, and interdisciplinary teamwork, preparing graduates to deliver holistic patient care and pursue NCLEX-PN licensure. Admission is selective and requires a criminal background check, pre-nursing advising, and a competitive ATI TEAS entrance exam score. With financial aid available, this program provides a direct pathway to a growing field where LPNs in North Carolina earn $43,000-$62,000 annually.

  • Entrance exam required
  • Exams: TEAS
  • 3-Semester program
  • 1 start dates per year
  • Starts spring
  • Prepares for NCLEX-PN
  • Financial aid available
  • Eligible to take NCLEX-PN
  • Employment in hospitals and clinics
  • Day program, starts spring semester
#4

Central Carolina Community College

Sanford, NC - Public 2-Year - cccc.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing

Campus Based - Visit Website

Central Carolina Community College's Practical Nursing diploma is a 45-credit, three-semester program at the Harnett Campus, designed to prepare students for LPN licensure. The curriculum covers safety, quality, evidence-based practice, and informatics within interdisciplinary care teams. Graduates are eligible for the NCLEX-PN and can pursue roles in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care, home health, clinics, and physician offices. Approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing and a candidate for ACEN accreditation, this campus-based program offers personalized attention with smaller classes and lower tuition than four-year institutions. It serves as both a direct pathway to LPN licensure and a foundation for further nursing education.

  • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) accredited
  • 3-Semester program
  • 45 total credit hours
  • Prepares for NCLEX-PN
  • Careers: hospitals, clinics, long-term care
  • Approved by NC Board of Nursing
  • Offered at Harnett Campus
#5

Wake Technical Community College

Raleigh, NC - Public 2-Year - waketech.edu

Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Diploma

Campus Based - Visit Website

Wake Technical Community College offers a Practical Nursing Diploma designed to launch your career as an LPN. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based clinical practice across the lifespan, teaching you to assess, plan, and implement care under registered nurse supervision. All instruction takes place on campus at the Perry Health Sciences Campus with a day-only schedule, providing hands-on learning in a structured environment. The program aligns with North Carolina Board of Nursing requirements and prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN licensure exam. With a total tuition of $3,344 and 44 credit hours, it's an affordable, direct pathway to entry-level nursing roles in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. Financial aid options are available to eligible students.

  • $3,344 total program tuition
  • 44 total credit hours
  • Prepares for NCLEX-PN
  • Financial aid available
  • Perry Health Sciences Campus
  • Day-only schedule
  • On-campus learning format
  • Evidence-based clinical practice
  • NLN competency alignment
  • Prepares for entry-level nursing
*Data compiled from: IPEDS 2025 survey, NCES. https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

Durham LPN Program Overview

Licensed Practical Nurses play a vital role in Durham’s healthcare system by providing direct, hands-on care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians. LPNs help with medication administration, wound care, patient monitoring, and care coordination, which supports patient safety and access to services across hospitals, long-term care, home health, and outpatient clinics. Durham’s clinical ecosystem includes major centers such as Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and the Durham VA Health Care System, alongside numerous primary care and specialty clinics, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies. This breadth of care settings creates steady opportunities for practical nurses across acute, post-acute, and community-based care.

North Carolina’s healthcare needs are driven by an aging population and ongoing demand for long-term and chronic disease management. Consistent with national analyses from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, LPN roles remain essential in nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, and outpatient practices, as well as in hospital-based units that employ practical nurses for team-based care. In Durham, the concentration of academic medicine, veterans’ services, and community providers sustains hiring for LPNs in both entry-level and experienced roles.

LPN programs serving Durham typically follow an accelerated, full-time diploma pathway of about 12 months that includes classroom instruction, skills lab and simulation, and supervised clinical rotations in local hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community clinics. Some colleges may offer extended or part-time options that can span 18 to 24 months to accommodate working adults. Curricula commonly cover fundamentals of nursing, pharmacology, adult health, geriatrics, maternal-child nursing, mental health, and transition-to-practice coursework.

Graduates become eligible to take the NCLEX-PN, the national licensing exam for practical nurses. In North Carolina, practical nursing programs are approved and regulated by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, which sets education standards and oversees licensure. Approved programs integrate NCLEX-PN preparation through standardized assessments, clinical competency evaluations, and end-of-program reviews to help students meet state licensure requirements.

Employment Opportunities for LPNs in Durham

The healthcare sector in Durham, North Carolina, presents a robust and expanding landscape of employment opportunities for Licensed Practical Nurses. Statewide projections from NCWorks for 2020-2030 indicate an annual average demand of approximately 1,630 new LPNs. As of May 2023, the mean hourly pay for an LPN in the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area is $29.28, with wages typically ranging from $24.77 to $33.64 per hour. Annually, the mean salary for LPNs in this area is $60,900. Durham’s cost of living index is 100.9, meaning it is slightly higher than the national average of 100. Statewide, 23,285 LPNs were licensed in North Carolina as of June 30, 2023, with 17,460 actively employed in nursing.

Durham serves as a prominent healthcare hub, with major institutions driving much of the employment. Duke Health stands as the largest employer in Durham and one of the largest private employers in North Carolina, encompassing more than 23,000 employees within its extensive health system. UNC Health also represents a significant employer in the region, contributing to the diverse range of LPN roles available.

LPNs in Durham can find employment across various types of healthcare facilities:

  • Hospitals:Major hospital systems, including Duke Health and UNC Health, frequently have openings for LPNs. At Duke, LPNs provide direct patient care under the supervision of registered nurses or physicians across facilities like Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and numerous Duke Primary Care and specialty clinics, such as the Sickle Cell Clinic and Morreene Road Neurology Clinic. UNC Health also offers LPN positions at facilities like The UNC Family Medicine Center at Durham.
  • Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities:A variety of facilities in Durham actively employ LPNs for direct patient care, sometimes offering sign-on bonuses. These include PruittHealth-Durham, Durham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Concordia Transitional Care & Rehab-Rose Manor, Carver Living Center, and Southpoint Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.
  • Private Practices and Clinics:LPNs are integral to both primary care and specialized outpatient clinics. These may be affiliated with larger systems like Duke Health and UNC Health, or function as independent private practices throughout the city.
  • Rehabilitation Centers:Facilities dedicated to patient recovery from illness, injury, or surgery, such as Pettigrew Rehabilitation Center, Treyburn Rehabilitation Center, and Southpoint Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, hire LPNs to support their patient care teams.
  • Senior Living Facilities:Communities designed for older adults, including Croasdaile Village and Brookdale Senior Living, Inc., offer LPN positions. Erickson Senior Living also employs LPNs for onsite medical centers, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and home settings within North Carolina.
  • Home Health Agencies:This is a growing sector for LPN employment in Durham. Agencies like Amedisys, PruittHealth @ Home, Aveanna Healthcare, and BAYADA Home Health Care seek LPNs to provide one-on-one care to clients in their homes, with some offering competitive benefits and sign-on bonuses.
  • Other Settings:LPNs can also pursue opportunities as school nurses, providing healthcare services within educational environments. Additionally, staffing agencies such as Jackson Nurse Professionals, Supplemental Health Care, Core Medical Group, and American Medical Staffing place LPNs in various short-term or temporary assignments across a spectrum of healthcare environments.

List of LPN Programs in Durham, NC

Here is a list of LPN programs in Durham, NC. The table below shows each school's city and state, program highlights, and a direct link to the program page. We gathered these options to help find the right fit. Explore the table to see what sets each program apart. Compare practical nursing programs based on location and key features. Use the links to explore curriculum details and admission requirements. Start your journey toward becoming a licensed practical nurse today.

Durham, NC

Durham Technical Community College

  • Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nursing Diploma

    Campus Based - Website

    • ACEN accredited
    • $5,502 total program tuition
    • 12-Month program
    • 44 total credit hours
    • 1 start dates per year
    • Starts fall
    • $62,837 median earnings
    • Prerequisite courses required
*Source: U.S. DOE, IPEDS 2025.

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