Best Iowa LPN to RN/BSN Programs 2026
In Iowa, LPN to RN bridge programs emphasize both classroom learning and applied clinical experience. Students advance their knowledge in adult health, pediatrics, and psychiatric nursing. Program graduates are prepared to transition into RN roles and meet state licensure requirements.
2027 Best LPN to RN Programs in Iowa
Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, IA - Private 4-year - sau.edu
Bachelor's - LPN to BSN
Online Learning - Visit Website
Saint Ambrose University offers a CCNE-accredited LPN to BSN online track through its Nano Nagle Online School of Nursing, enabling licensed practical nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in as few as 21 months (55 credits). No ACT or SAT is required, but the TEAS exam is mandatory. The curriculum focuses on holistic, patient-centered care, leadership, and clinical judgment, with clinicals at partner health centers and simulation labs. Tuition is $35,200 ($640 per credit), with scholarships like the Ambrose Advantage available. The program features rolling admissions, fall/spring starts, a Spanish for Health Services certificate option, and up to 90 transfer credits.
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: TEAS
- $35,200 total program tuition
- $640 per credit
- 21-Month program
- Complete in Complete your online nursing degree in as few as six semesters
- 55 total credit hours
- Rolling admissions
- Starts fall/spring
Northwest Iowa Community College
Sheldon, IA - Public 2-Year - nwicc.edu
Associate - Associate Degree Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Northwest Iowa Community College's LPN-to-RN bridge leads to an Associate Degree in Nursing. This Iowa Board of Nursing-accredited, 41-credit-hour program starts in the summer and blends advanced nursing concepts, transition coursework, and clinical rotations in medical-surgical, geriatric, obstetric, pediatric, and psychiatric settings. Students gain hands-on experience in a cutting-edge simulation lab and at a regional medical center. Graduates achieve a 100% job placement rate and are prepared for the NCLEX-RN. The program offers free tuition through the Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, online general education courses for flexibility, and credits that transfer to BSN programs, making it an accessible pathway to registered nursing.
- Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- 41 total credit hours
- Starts summer
- 100% job placement rate
- Prepares for NCLEX
- Financial aid available
- Scholarships available
- Summer semester entry
- Free tuition through Future Ready Iowa
- Clinical experience at regional medical center
Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA - Public 2-Year - kirkwood.edu
Associate - Nursing LPN Transfer
Campus Based - Visit Website
Kirkwood Community College’s LPN Transfer program offers licensed practical nurses a direct pathway to an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and RN licensure. This campus-based track builds on prior LPN training, with completion in as few as two to three semesters. The curriculum covers medical-surgical, maternal-child, pediatric, and mental health nursing, blending classroom instruction with simulation in a model hospital and clinical rotations at regional healthcare centers. Total tuition is $13,481 for 61 credit hours, and entry points are available in fall, spring, and summer, though prerequisite courses are required. Graduates are prepared for the NCLEX-RN and eligible for BSN transfer pathways. The program is accredited by NLN CNEA and approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
- National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- $13,481 total program tuition
- 61 total credit hours
- 3 start dates per year
- Starts fall/spring/summer
- Prerequisite courses required
- Hands-on clinical rotations at local health centers
- State-of-the-art model hospital environment
- Prepares for RN licensure
- Accredited by NLN CNEA
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge, IA - Public 2-Year - iowacentral.edu
Associate - Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) - Advanced Standing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Iowa Central Community College's Advanced Standing ADN track offers LPNs a direct route to RN. LPNs advance directly into the second year of this 79-credit program, which pairs classroom nursing theory with clinical rotations and a capstone to build critical thinking and technical skills for NCLEX-RN success. Approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing, the program serves Fort Dodge, Storm Lake, and Webster City, with fall and spring starts at Fort Dodge. Admission is selective, requiring prerequisite courses, a minimum 2.5 GPA, and an entrance exam (ACT or TOEFL). This streamlined pathway moves licensed practical nurses efficiently toward registered nurse practice.
- Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: ACT, TOEFL
- 79 total credit hours
- Starts fall/spring
- 2.5 GPA minimum
- Prerequisite courses required
- Capstone required
- Prepares for NCLEX
- Advanced Standing for LPNs
Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar, IA - Public 2-Year - nicc.edu
Associate - Transitioning from Practice into Associate Degree Nursing
Campus Based - Visit Website
Northeast Iowa Community College's Transitioning from Practice into Associate Degree Nursing track is an LPN-to-RN bridge that leverages your practical nursing experience to move into ADN coursework. Admission hinges on the HESI LPN to ADN Entrance Exam, where a minimum score of 850 is mandatory. The exam can be taken remotely with video proctoring and covers fundamentals, pediatrics, maternity, professional issues, medical-surgical nursing, and psychiatric/mental illness. To help you prepare, the college offers prep books at campus libraries and learning centers. This pathway is made for working LPNs aiming to earn an associate degree and become registered nurses.
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: HESI
- Minimum score of 850 required
- Remote video-proctored exam
- Prep books available in libraries
Iowa LPN to RN Program Overview
Eligibility and Admission Requirements
LPN to RN bridge programs in Iowa build on your practical nursing education and work experience to prepare you for RN practice. While each college or university sets its own admission standards, applicants can expect requirements such as:
- Current, unencumbered LPN license, typically issued by Iowa or another Nurse Licensure Compact state
- Graduation from an approved practical nursing program
- Minimum GPA in prior coursework, often in the 2.5 to 3.0 range, and completion of prerequisite courses
- Common prerequisites: Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs, Microbiology with lab, English composition, General Psychology, Human Growth and Development or Lifespan Psychology, Nutrition, and college Algebra or Statistics for BSN tracks
- Current BLS for Healthcare Providers certification
- Health and clinical clearance: immunizations, TB screening, fit testing, physical exam, and ability to meet technical standards
- Criminal background check and drug screening as required by clinical partners
- Placement or entrance testing where required by the program
Working LPNs may receive advanced standing through articulation or validation exams, which can waive introductory RN courses like fundamentals and basic pharmacology. Many Iowa programs also give application preference or additional points for recent LPN work experience and may offer evening, weekend, or hybrid options designed around employment schedules.
Program Curriculum and Accreditation
Iowa LPN to RN pathways include LPN to ADN and LPN to BSN. Both expand scope from task-focused practical nursing to comprehensive RN assessment, care planning, leadership, and coordination. Curricula typically include:
- Advanced adult health and complex medical surgical nursing
- Maternal newborn and pediatric nursing
- Mental health and behavioral health nursing
- Community and population health
- Health assessment across the lifespan with lab and simulation
- Pathophysiology and advanced pharmacology
- Evidence based practice, informatics, and leadership or management
- Transition to the RN role and NCLEX RN preparation
Learning occurs in skills labs, high fidelity simulation, and supervised clinical rotations across Iowa hospitals, long term care facilities, clinics, and community agencies.
For Iowa RN licensure eligibility you must graduate from a program approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing. Many Iowa programs also hold national accreditation from ACEN or CCNE. Board approval is required for licensure, while national accreditation strengthens transferability of credits, graduate school options, employer recognition, and access to certain types of financial aid.
LPN to RN Schools and Classes
Iowa offers LPN to RN bridge options through community and technical colleges, private colleges, and universities. Community colleges commonly offer LPN to ADN tracks that position you for entry level RN roles, while some universities provide pathways that grant advanced placement to LPNs working toward a BSN.
Coursework you can expect in an Iowa LPN to RN program includes:
- Nursing care of adults with complex conditions
- Maternal newborn, pediatric, and family centered care
- Psychiatric mental health nursing
- Gerontology and chronic care management
- Community and public health nursing
- Advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology
- Nursing leadership, quality improvement, and interprofessional collaboration
- Research and evidence based practice, with additional policy, population health, and leadership depth in BSN tracks
Expect a blend of classroom or online theory, campus labs, simulation, and in person clinicals with Iowa preceptors and faculty oversight.
Career Outlook
Registered nurses in Iowa work in diverse settings, including acute care hospitals and critical access hospitals, outpatient clinics, long term care and skilled nursing, home health and hospice, public health departments, schools, behavioral health facilities, and telehealth. Scheduling varies by setting, with options that include 8 or 12 hour shifts and day, evening, night, weekend, or rotating schedules.
State and federal workforce reports consistently show steady demand for RNs in Iowa, influenced by an aging population, chronic disease prevalence, and rural access needs. Compared with LPN roles, RN practice in Iowa involves a broader scope that includes comprehensive assessment, independent nursing diagnosis within the RN role, care planning and coordination, supervision of nursing care, and wider clinical privileges. RNs typically have higher earning potential and more opportunities for specialty practice, leadership, and advancement into roles such as charge nurse, case manager, public health nurse, and clinical educator.
LPN to RN Program Length
- Full time LPN to ADN: commonly 3 to 4 semesters after prerequisites, often 12 to 18 months
- Part time LPN to ADN: commonly 5 to 6 semesters, often 18 to 24 months
- Evening or weekend LPN to ADN: similar to part time pacing, with labs and clinicals scheduled outside typical business hours
- Full time LPN to BSN: typically 6 to 8 semesters after prerequisites, often about 2.5 to 3 years
- Part time LPN to BSN: often 3.5 to 4 years depending on course load
Actual timelines depend on transfer credit granted for your LPN education, prerequisite completion, clinical site availability, and whether summer terms are used.
2027 Fastest LPN to RN Programs in Iowa
| School Name | Highlights | Retention & Grad Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Ambrose University |
|
|
| Northwest Iowa Community College |
|
|
| Kirkwood Community College |
|
|
Tuition and Costs
Tuition varies by institution type, residency status, and how many credits you need after advanced placement. As general guidance in Iowa:
- LPN to ADN at public community colleges often totals roughly the low to mid five figures for tuition and mandatory fees
- LPN to BSN at public universities typically falls in the low to mid five figures for in state tuition, with private institutions higher
Additional costs to budget for include books and e resources, uniforms and shoes, stethoscope and supplies, immunizations and titers, background check and drug screen, liability insurance, BLS certification, transportation to clinical sites, and application, fingerprinting, and NCLEX registration fees. Housing costs in Iowa vary by city and campus. Some colleges offer limited on campus housing, while most students use off campus rentals. Compare local market rents, utilities, and commuting expenses when planning your budget.
2027 Affordable LPN to RN Programs in Iowa
| School Name | Highlights | Annual Estimated Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkwood Community College |
|
|
| Saint Ambrose University |
|
|
| Northwest Iowa Community College |
|
|
Can I Take LPN to RN Classes Online?
Iowa LPN to RN programs commonly use hybrid formats. Didactic courses may be delivered online or in a blended format to support working LPNs, while skills labs and all direct patient care clinicals are conducted in person with faculty oversight at Iowa clinical sites. Fully online prelicensure RN programs are not available because hands on lab and clinical practice are required for program approval and for safe preparation for RN practice. If you enroll in an out of state distance program that plans Iowa clinical placements, it must meet Iowa Board of Nursing requirements for clinical education in the state.
LPN to RN Licensure Requirements in Iowa
NCLEX-RN Exam Information
Graduates of Iowa-approved LPN to ADN or LPN to BSN programs must pass the NCLEX-RN to receive an Iowa RN license. Candidates apply to the Iowa Board of Nursing and register for the exam through the official NCLEX program site. After the Board deems you eligible, you will receive an Authorization to Test and can schedule your exam. Results are transmitted to the Board; a passing result is required before a license is issued.
The Iowa Board of Nursing provides application instructions, eligibility review, and fingerprint-based background check processing. Graduates should ensure their program sends an official transcript directly to the Board as part of the exam application.
RN Reciprocity and Nurse Licensure Compact
Iowa licenses RNs by endorsement if they were first licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction. Endorsement applicants submit an online application to the Iowa Board of Nursing, complete a criminal background check, provide verification of original and current licenses, and meet education requirements. License verification typically occurs through Nursys, as directed by the Board.
Iowa is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. Eligible RNs who declare Iowa as their primary state of residence may hold a multistate license that authorizes practice in other compact states. RNs moving to Iowa from another compact state must apply for Iowa licensure when they change their primary state of residence; those coming from non-compact states apply by endorsement for an Iowa single-state license or, if eligible, a multistate license.
Licensure Requirements
The Iowa Board of Nursing regulates RN licensure. For initial licensure by examination, applicants must:
- Graduate from a board-approved RN program, including LPN to ADN or LPN to BSN bridge pathways.
- Submit an online application to the Board and pay the required fees.
- Complete a fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal background check as instructed by the Board.
- Ensure the nursing program sends an official transcript verifying degree conferral.
- Register for and pass the NCLEX-RN.
Nurses educated outside the United States may need a credentials evaluation and proof of English proficiency as directed by the Board before being authorized to test or endorsed.
License Renewal
Iowa RN licenses are issued on a three-year cycle. Renewal is completed online and typically opens several weeks before the expiration date shown on the license. All required continuing education must be completed within the current license period prior to renewal.
- Continuing education: RNs must complete 36 contact hours of Board-accepted continuing education every three years.
- State-mandated trainings: Iowa law requires specific trainings for many nurses, including dependent adult and child abuse identification and reporting for those who regularly examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults. Human trafficking prevention training is also required. Nurses should complete the versions approved by Iowa state authorities and consistent with Board rules within each renewal cycle.
- Practice hours: Iowa does not require a set number of clinical practice hours for renewal, but nurses must meet all CE and mandatory training requirements and maintain current name and address with the Board.
Late renewals and reactivation after lapse may involve additional fees or documentation. Always review current instructions on the Iowa Board of Nursing website before submitting your renewal.
LPN to ADN Bridge Program
Program Length:
Typically 1 to 2 years. Many programs, like the one at Kirkwood Community College, can be completed in just two to three semesters.
Credential Awarded:
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing.
NCLEX-RN Eligibility:
Yes.
Program Focus:
Provides the fundamental skills and knowledge for entry-level registered nursing roles, with a strong emphasis on clinical practice in various healthcare settings.
Average In-State Tuition in Iowa:
Approximately $8,000 - $15,000 for the entire program. For example, Kirkwood Community College's in-state tuition is $217 per credit hour, and Northeast Iowa Community College's practical nursing program costs around $10,036 for tuition and fees.
Best For:
LPNs seeking the quickest and most cost-effective route to becoming a registered nurse and entering the RN workforce.
School Types:
Community colleges are the primary providers of LPN to ADN bridge programs in Iowa.
LPN to BSN Bridge Program
Program Length:
Generally 2 to 4 years, depending on the specific program structure and the number of transferable credits from the LPN program and previous college coursework. Some online programs, like the one at St. Ambrose University, can be completed in as few as five semesters.
Credential Awarded:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
NCLEX-RN Eligibility:
Yes.
Program Focus:
Offers a more comprehensive education that includes all the clinical skills of an ADN, plus additional training in leadership, research, and community health.
Average In-State Tuition in Iowa:
Varies significantly between public and private institutions, generally ranging from $20,000 to over $40,000 for the entire program. For instance, the University of Iowa's RN-BSN program has a total tuition of around $17,600, while a private institution like St. Ambrose University has an estimated total program cost of approximately $41,465 for their LPN to BSN program.
Best For:
LPNs aiming for leadership roles, advanced practice positions, and a broader range of career opportunities in nursing.
School Types:
Universities and four-year colleges, with many offering online and hybrid program formats to accommodate working LPNs.
Choose LPN→ADN If:
- Faster Entry into the RN Role: The shorter program length allows for a quicker transition to working as a registered nurse.
- Lower Cost of Education: Community college tuition is generally more affordable than university tuition, making the LPN to ADN route a more budget-friendly option.
- Strong Foundation for Practice: The curriculum is intensely focused on developing essential clinical skills, preparing graduates for immediate employment in a variety of healthcare settings.
- Option for Future Advancement: Graduates can begin working as RNs and later choose to pursue an RN to BSN bridge program, often with tuition assistance from their employer.
Choose LPN→BSN If:
- Expanded Career Opportunities: A BSN is often a requirement for leadership and management positions, as well as specialized roles in areas like public health, nursing education, and informatics.
- Higher Earning Potential: Nurses with a BSN degree typically have a higher earning potential over the course of their careers.
- Foundation for Advanced Degrees: A BSN is the necessary stepping stone for pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a doctoral degree to become a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse-midwife.
- Broader Skill Set: The BSN curriculum provides a deeper understanding of evidence-based practice, healthcare policy, and leadership, which are valuable in a complex healthcare system.
List of LPN to RN Programs in Iowa
Calmar, IA
Northeast Iowa Community College
- Associate - Transitioning from Practice into Associate Degree Nursing
Campus Based - Website
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: HESI
- Minimum score of 850 required
- Remote video-proctored exam
- Prep books available in libraries
Cedar Rapids, IA
Kirkwood Community College
- Associate - Nursing LPN Transfer
Campus Based - Website
- National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- $13,481 total program tuition
- 61 total credit hours
- 3 start dates per year
- Starts fall/spring/summer
- Prerequisite courses required
- Hands-on clinical rotations at local health centers
- State-of-the-art model hospital environment
Davenport, IA
Saint Ambrose University
- Bachelor's - LPN to BSN
Online Learning - Website
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: TEAS
- $35,200 total program tuition
- $640 per credit
- 21-Month program
- Complete in Complete your online nursing degree in as few as six semesters
- 55 total credit hours
Fort Dodge, IA
Iowa Central Community College
- Associate - Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) - Advanced Standing
Campus Based - Website
- Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- Entrance exam required
- Exams: ACT, TOEFL
- 79 total credit hours
- Starts fall/spring
- 2.5 GPA minimum
- Prerequisite courses required
- Capstone required
Sheldon, IA
Northwest Iowa Community College
- Associate - Associate Degree Nursing
Campus Based - Website
- Iowa Board of Nursing accredited
- 41 total credit hours
- Starts summer
- 100% job placement rate
- Prepares for NCLEX
- Financial aid available
- Scholarships available
- Summer semester entry
Related Articles
- Most Affordable LPN/LVN Programs for 2026: Your Path to Nursing Success on a Budget
- LPN / LVN History & Background
- LPN to RN Bridge Programs: Accelerating Career Growth for Practical Nurses
- You Will ALWAYS Be Learning!
- Nursing in Long Term Care
- Full Time Mother and LPN
- Culture of LPNs and RNs in Team Nursing
- How to Prepare for Your LPN/LVN Program Entrance Exam