How long does it take to become an LPN in Bradenton, and what does it cost? Most Florida practical nursing programs run roughly 11 to 18 months under a 1,350 clock hour state framework, at a fraction of what an associate degree runs.
Manatee County's retiree-heavy population keeps long-term care facilities, hospitals, and outpatient clinics hiring steadily, and the local median practical nurse wage of $63,770 sits above the statewide figure. The constraint is geography and seat count: Bradenton itself has two practical nursing programs, so applicants routinely look beyond city limits toward Palmetto, Ellenton, Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch, where entrance exam cutoffs differ enough that one score clears one school and falls short at the next.
Jump straight to the program list →
Where Bradenton LPNs Actually Work, and What the Job Market Looks Like
Hospital floor versus long-term care: that is the first real fork in the road for a new Bradenton LPN. Hospitals carry prestige and acute-care pace, but in Manatee County, as in most of Florida, the bulk of LPN hiring happens in long term care nursing, assisted living, and home health. Knowing that before you graduate saves you months of chasing the wrong postings.
The Local Employer Landscape
Broadly, Bradenton-area LPN jobs cluster into five categories:
- Hospital systems: Manatee Memorial Hospital, HCA Florida Blake Hospital, and the Sarasota Memorial network south of the county line. Hospitals hire LPNs, but often into pre-op, float pool, clinic, or step-down roles rather than acute medical-surgical units.
- Skilled nursing and assisted living: The largest single source of new-grad LPN jobs in Manatee County, spread across dozens of facilities in Bradenton, Palmetto, and Lakewood Ranch. Expect med pass, treatment carts, and charge-nurse responsibility early.
- Physician practices and clinics: Primary care, cardiology, and specialty offices in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch hire LPNs for LPN duties such as triage, injections, and patient education.
- Home health: Agencies including BayCare HomeCare recruit LPNs for Bradenton, Manatee, and south Hillsborough territory, sometimes as travel LPNs or contract work.5 Most want prior home health experience plus a reliable car.
- Correctional and school health: Steady, less advertised, and often overlooked by new grads.
What Florida Lets an LPN Do
Florida LPNs practice under the direction of an RN, physician, dentist, or podiatrist. That delegated framework is the ceiling: you assess, monitor, document, administer medications, and perform treatments, but the nursing care plan belongs to the RN.
IV therapy is where scope gets specific. Without IV certification, a qualifying LPN may perform only a limited set of IV tasks under RN direction, and high-risk medications are excluded.3 Full authority requires a post-graduation course of at least 30 hours through a Board-approved continuing education provider, including didactic instruction (with a minimum block on infusion therapy) and a supervised clinical practicum.4 Even after certification, rule boundaries and your employer's own competency policies govern what you actually hang. In practice, IV certification makes you noticeably more hireable in skilled nursing and home infusion.
Wages and Demand
Wage estimates for practical nurses in the North Port, Bradenton, and Sarasota metro put the median around $30.66 an hour, roughly $63,770 a year as of May 2025, with the middle half landing between about $61,670 and $66,240.1 That sits meaningfully above Florida's statewide LPN mean of $53,780 reported in 2022, when the state employed roughly 36,970 practical nurses.2
The reason is demographic. Manatee County skews significantly older than the national average, and long-term care and assisted living capacity has kept expanding to match. That is the engine behind local LPN demand, and it is not slowing down.
What Practical Nurses Earn in the Sarasota–bradenton Metro
Licensed practical nurses in the North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton metro earn a median of $63,770 a year, about $2,000 above the Florida statewide median of $61,770, which tells you local demand is holding wages up rather than dragging them down.
Day, Evening, and Hybrid Schedules: Program Length and 2027 Start Dates
Practical nursing in this region is built on a fairly uniform 1,350 clock hour state framework, so the real difference between programs is when you sit in the classroom, not how much content you cover. Manatee Technical College is the only school in the immediate Bradenton area currently publishing a distinct evening/hybrid track alongside its day option, and its August entry is the shortest route on the board at roughly 11 months. If you came here hunting for a 6 month LPN program in Bradenton, none of the programs reviewed here offers an accelerated track under about 11 months of full-time study, and any school advertising one deserves hard questions about clock hours and Florida Board of Nursing approval.
| Program | Location | Format / Track | Length | Clock Hours | 2026-2027 Start Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee Technical College, Practical Nursing (certificate) | East Campus, 5520 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34211 | Full-time day (hybrid), full-time evening/hybrid, dual enrollment hybrid; on-campus plus online coursework | About 11 to 13 months (August entry runs 11 months, January entry runs 13 months) | 1,350 | Day hybrid: August and January. Evening/hybrid: August. Specific day-of-month not published for the 2026-2027 catalog year. |
| Suncoast Technical College, Practical Nursing (Sarasota) | 4748 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233 | Full-time day; clinical rotations may include some weekend hours | About 12 months | 1,350 | Cohort dates are released through the college course schedule and admissions page rather than the catalog; confirm current start dates directly with admissions. |
| Suncoast Technical College, Practical Nursing (North Port) | Suncoast Technical College North Port campus | Full-time; day or evening breakdown not specified in the state-approved provider listing | 12 months | 1,350 | Not published in the workforce provider listing; contact the campus for current cohort dates. |
| Angel Technical Institute Nursing School, Practical Nursing (diploma) | 453 Cortez Rd West, Bradenton, FL 34207 | Diploma program; day, evening, weekend, or hybrid track details not listed in the state program record | Not specified in the state listing | 1,378 | Not specified in the state listing; contact the school directly. |
| Fort Myers Technical College, Practical Nursing (certificate) | Fort Myers, FL (at the outer edge of the Bradenton commuting radius) | Full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; all classes in person with no online or hybrid option; clinicals may fall on days, evenings, or nights | About 12 months | 1,350 | Not specified on the program page; confirm with the college before planning around a start date. |
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What LPN Training Costs in Bradenton: Tuition, Fees, Books, and Testing
Practical nursing in the Bradenton area splits cleanly into two pricing worlds: public technical colleges that charge by the clock hour, and private institutes that quote a flat program price. Manatee Technical College and Suncoast Technical College both publish resident tuition rates plus separate per-hour financial aid, technology, and capital outlay fees, and both participate in federal financial aid. Several private schools in the area do not publish a complete cost breakdown, so the table below reports only what each school actually lists.
| Program | Tuition | Lab & Program Fees | Books, Uniforms & Supplies | Testing / Background Check | Estimated Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee Technical College, Practical Nursing (1,350 hours, East Campus, Bradenton) | $7,553.00 for the day program, including a $60.00 facility and equipment use fee | One program information sheet lists estimated tuition, lab, and fees for the day program at $5,435.00, inclusive of an administrative fee | $690.00 textbook estimate, purchased online; a detailed book list is available from the MTC bookstore, and uniforms and patches are additional | Not itemized on the Practical Nursing cost sheets. A $90.00 background check and $35.00 state certification fee appear on MTC's Nursing Assistant sheet, but those figures are specific to the CNA program | $8,200.00 estimated total for the day program |
| Suncoast Technical College, Practical Nursing (1,350 hours, Sarasota) | $2.44 per clock hour for Florida residents, plus separate per-hour financial aid, technology, and capital outlay fees. The district fee schedule lists a $2.92 per hour resident rate on the Practical Nursing line | Registration, financial aid, capital outlay, and technology fees are itemized on the School Board fee schedule but are not broken out cleanly in the published table | $1,460 estimated for books and supplies across the 13-month program | Not itemized. The academic catalog notes costs may include lab fees, textbooks, supplies, uniforms, locker rentals, internet fees, and parking permits; specific standardized testing and screening fees are not published | Approximately $17,000 per year as reported on practicalnursing.org |
| Doxa Academy, Practical Nursing (private, nearby comparison) | $10,000 for the Practical Nursing program | Not separately listed | $1,000 bundled estimate for books and uniforms | Not listed | $11,000 (tuition plus books and uniforms) |
| Angel Technical Institute Nursing School LLC, Practical Nursing (Bradenton) | Not published. The Florida Department of Education listing provides contact information only, and no official tuition schedule was available | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published; contact the school directly for a current cost sheet |
| Bright Futures Medical Institute, Practical Nursing (Bradenton) | Not published in any retrievable cost sheet | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published; request a written cost breakdown before applying |
| Premier Nursing Academy, Certified Nursing Assistant training (Bradenton campus, not an LPN program) | No out-of-pocket tuition; employer sponsors cover the cost for accepted students | Described as free to students; no lab or program fees itemized | $295 if books are rented, $1,395 if purchased | $155 standard Florida Nurse Aide Exam fee, with one exam fee fully subsidized for graduates | Effectively $0 in tuition for sponsored students; not a Title IV federal aid program |
Admission Requirements and How Competitive Each Program Is
Entrance exam thresholds are where Bradenton-area applicants get sorted, and the spread is wider than most people expect: a score that clears one program's cutoff can fall well short at another. Nearly every program layers on the same post-acceptance requirements (physical exam, immunizations, background screening, drug testing, current CPR or BLS), so plan on those costs and appointments regardless of where you enroll. What the published materials generally do not spell out is how applicants get ranked, so ask admissions directly how many seats exist and how applicants are prioritized.
| Program | Entrance Exam / Score | GPA & Prerequisites | Health, Immunization & Background | Waitlist / Selectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee Technical College Practical Nursing (LPN) | TEAS, minimum 58% | All three prerequisites completed with a C or better: Anatomy, Physiology, and Human Growth and Development OR Psychology | Current physical exam; current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS); federal background investigation and drug screen after acceptance | Application materials include a firm final TEAS score submission deadline. Published materials reviewed do not state a waitlist or rolling admission. |
| State College of Florida Practical Nursing | TEAS Total, 65% | Prerequisite GPA 3.0 or higher and program GPA 3.0 or higher; official college transcripts required; competency in English, Reading, and Math by one of the listed routes; current high school students must have the diploma in hand before the fall start date | All prelicensure nursing students complete drug testing before the first day of class; nursing handbook also requires compliance with program health-clearance procedures, including background screening and other clinical requirements | SCF describes itself as a rolling-admissions college with no priority deadline. Reviewed pages do not describe a program waitlist. |
| Eastern Florida State College Practical Nursing | TEAS, minimum 69% in Reading | Eligibility documented through Math and English coursework or qualifying placement exam scores; official transcripts from high school and every post-secondary institution due at least one month before the application deadline | After acceptance to the Health Science Program: state and federal background checks, proof of certain immunizations, and negative drug screenings as required by clinical affiliates | Published as an application and selection process. The reviewed page does not state a waitlist or rolling admission. |
| Doxa Academy Practical Nursing (LPN) | TEAS or HESI A2, total adjusted score of 70% or higher | High school diploma or GED; applicants 18 or older without a diploma or GED must demonstrate ability to learn from the program of instruction | Physical exam; immunization compliance including TB and MMR/varicella evidence; FDLE Level 2 background check and drug screen; current CPR/BLS certification | The reviewed page does not state a waitlist or a rolling, first-qualified basis. |
| HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing | ATI TEAS minimum 52, or HESI A2 composite 60 | Official high school transcripts or GED test scores; a previously earned associate degree or higher can satisfy the pre-entrance exam requirement | Completed background check; American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR required by the first day of school and maintained through graduation; drug screen showing no illegal drugs; evidence of Hepatitis B vaccine series completion or a declaration form | Admissions states that meeting the pre-entrance exam requirement does not guarantee admission. The reviewed page does not mention a waitlist. |
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates at Bradenton-Area Programs
Campus-level NCLEX-PN results for Bradenton and Sarasota practical nursing programs are not published in any single public table, so ask each program director, registrar, or admissions advisor for first-time pass rates and the number of candidates tested for each of the last three years, then cross-check what you are told against the Florida Board of Nursing annual nursing education program report and NCSBN's published exam statistics. Use the statewide and national benchmarks below as your yardstick: Florida's first-time practical nursing pass rate has run well behind the national figure, so a program that merely matches the state average is not automatically a safe bet.
Getting Your Florida LPN License After Graduation
Your diploma does not make you an LPN. The Florida Board of Nursing does, and only after you complete a fixed sequence of steps in the right order. Graduates who treat licensure as an afterthought lose weeks of paid work time waiting on paperwork they could have filed before their last clinical rotation.
The Sequence, In Order
- Graduate from one of the approved LPN programs in Florida and confirm the school will send an official transcript directly to the Board.
- Submit the online licensure-by-examination application to the Florida Board of Nursing. Budget roughly $110 in Board fees; published totals vary slightly by source, so verify the current amount at the time you apply.
- Complete Level 2 background screening with electronic fingerprints through an FDLE-approved Livescan vendor. Expect somewhere in the $50 to $90 range depending on the vendor you choose in Manatee or Sarasota County.
- Register separately with Pearson VUE for the NCLEX-PN exam and pay the $200 exam fee. This is not part of your Board application.
- Wait for your Authorization to Test, then schedule at a Pearson VUE center and sit the exam.
All in, plan on roughly $385 from graduation to license, not counting review courses or travel.
Realistic Timeline and Common Delays
Board review of a complete application typically runs up to 30 days, with fingerprint results generally clearing in about two to four weeks. Once every requirement is satisfied, license issuance often follows within about a week. Two things cause most holdups: transcripts that arrive late because the registrar has not yet posted final grades, and background screening hits, including old misdemeanors or sealed cases, which trigger additional review and documentation requests. Disclose everything up front. Omissions cost more time than the underlying incident.
Single-State, Multistate, and Endorsement
Florida's application asks whether you want a single-state license or a multistate license under the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate credential requires Florida to be your primary state of residence and that you meet the uniform licensure requirements; if you live in Bradenton and plan to work only here, single-state is sufficient. If you already hold an LPN license elsewhere, you apply by endorsement instead, currently around $105 with processing commonly quoted near three to five weeks.
Before you sign anything, compare the total cost per program against its NCLEX-PN pass rate, not just the sticker price of tuition.
LPN Schools in and Near Bradenton, Ranked
Below are the top practical nursing programs serving Bradenton students, presented in ranked order. The list covers the only in-city option plus the regional campuses within a realistic commute, from Sarasota north to St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt loads
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Program accreditation and approval status
- Schedule fit for working students
- Commute distance from Bradenton
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
Manatee Technical College
The only practical nursing program inside Bradenton, taught at the East Campus on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. The 1,350-hour certificate runs as a day hybrid or an evening hybrid designed for working adults, with clinicals at Blake and Manatee Memorial. The college reports 98% job placement for nursing graduates, and Manatee County high school students can start early through dual enrollment. Net price runs about $1,808 after aid.
- 1,350 total clock hours
- Day hybrid track: about 11 to 13 months, August or January start
- Evening hybrid track runs about 11 months
- Evening format: two campus nights weekly plus two weekend days monthly
- Hybrid coursework begins in the second term
- TEAS entrance exam, minimum score of 58
- College reports 98% job placement for nursing graduates
- Dual enrollment pathway for Manatee County high school students
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — Hybrid
Suncoast Technical College
About 15 miles south of downtown Bradenton, an easy drive from the southern half of Manatee County. It is ACEN accredited and puts students in clinical rotations for more than half of program hours. The college's overall graduation rate sits near 50%, which reflects the institution rather than this certificate. Net price runs about $16,917 after aid.
- ACEN accredited
- Approved by the Florida Board of Nursing
- More than half of program hours spent in clinical rotations
- Skills lab with a human patient simulator
- All instructors are Florida-licensed registered nurses
- Covers medical-surgical, maternal-child, mental health, and geriatric nursing
- Prepares graduates for NCLEX-PN and Nurse Licensure Compact licensure
- Drug testing required before clinical placements
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Galen College of Nursing
A Sarasota campus roughly 15 miles from downtown Bradenton, offering the same 12-month practical nursing diploma as its sister school across the bay. Four start dates a year and a free application with no essays make it quick to enter, which suits career changers who cannot wait for a fall cohort. Net price runs about $28,476 after aid, with median graduate debt near $24,166.
- 12-month full-time LPN diploma
- Four start dates per year
- No application fee and no essays
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Modern clinical learning labs on campus
- Transfer credit review helps students finish faster
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-PN
- Academic advisor and on-demand tutoring included
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Erwin Technical College
Forty-five to fifty miles north in Tampa, so plan on a serious commute rather than a crosstown drive. The LPN track is campus-based and daytime, built on labs and supervised clinicals for students who can attend full days. Net price is about $2,796 after aid, and the college's overall graduation rate is high at roughly 80%.
- Practical Nursing (LPN) program
- One of more than 22 career and technical programs at the Tampa campus
- Nursing track sits alongside medical, dental, and surgical technology programs
- Campus-based daytime classes keep the schedule structured
- Supervised clinical experiences built into the curriculum
- Instructors bring industry experience to the classroom
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Galen College of Nursing-Tampa Bay
Across the bay in St. Petersburg, about 35 to 40 miles from Bradenton with bridge traffic to plan around. The 12-month diploma starts four times a year with no application fee and no essays. Net price runs about $28,197 after aid, and the college's overall graduation rate is near 63%.
- 12-month full-time LPN diploma
- Four start dates per year
- No application fee and no essays required
- TEAS entrance exam required
- On-campus classes with clinical learning labs
- Practice vital signs, injections, and direct patient care
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-PN
- Financial aid and scholarships available
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater
About 40 miles north in Pinellas County, a realistic drive for students already based on that side of the bay. The 1,350-hour program pairs simulation labs with clinical placements and carries Florida Board of Nursing approval. Applicants sit the TEAS, and scores are accepted only from the campus testing center. Net price runs about $21,932 after aid.
- 1,350-hour program delivered across five courses
- Approved by the Florida State Board of Nursing
- TEAS required, and scores are accepted only from this campus
- Simulation labs plus clinical placements
- Covers maternal, newborn, and pediatric care
- Articulation agreement with St. Petersburg College
- Prepares students for the LPN licensure exam
- Application deadline listed as September 22, 2026
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg
Roughly 35 miles from downtown Bradenton by way of the Sunshine Skyway. The 1,350-hour program offers a paid apprenticeship and a hybrid cohort for BayCare team members, which suits students already working in healthcare. Articulation agreements ease the later move to an RN program. Net price is about $23,620 after aid.
- 1,350-hour practical nursing program
- Approved by the Florida State Board of Nursing
- TEAS test required for admission
- Paid apprenticeship option lets students earn while learning
- Hybrid cohort available for BayCare team members
- Training spans simulation, lab, and clinical settings
- Articulation agreements with RN programs
- Application deadline listed as September 8, 2026
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Concorde Career Institute-Tampa
About 45 miles north in Tampa, and the most career-focused of the private options. The diploma finishes in as few as 12 to 13 months with direct admission, hands-on labs, and clinical rotations with local providers. Net price runs about $26,077 after aid, and the college's overall graduation rate is near 56%.
- Diploma completed in as few as 12 to 13 months
- Direct admission into the nursing program
- Hands-on labs and clinical rotations with local providers
- Support from a dedicated Director of Nursing
- Covers preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, and restorative care
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-PN exam
- Financial aid and scholarships available for those who qualify
- Established pathway toward becoming an RN
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
The outlier here: a Jupiter campus roughly three hours from Bradenton, so the web-enabled synchronous format is what makes it usable for local students. The 12-month diploma covers 1,350 clock hours with recorded sessions, which suits self-directed learners. The program is not programmatically accredited, and net price data is not published.
- 12-month diploma covering 1,350 clock hours
- Synchronous online classes with recorded sessions
- Web-enabled concurrent teaching format
- Program is not programmatically accredited
- Covers nursing care across the lifespan
- Emphasis on prevention, early detection, and client well-being
- Prepares graduates for entry-level licensed practical nurse roles
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
From LPN to RN in the Bradenton Area
The Local Bridge: State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota
SCF's Associate in Science in Nursing Transition track is the advanced-placement route for licensed practical nurses pursuing LPN to RN in Florida, and it is the closest option to Bradenton. The degree totals 72 credits, but the structure differs from the standard ASN: you complete a 10-credit transition nursing course, and on finishing it the college awards 10 credits of first-year nursing credit and moves you into the sophomore year. That credit comes at the end of the transition course, not on day one, so plan on earning your advanced placement rather than arriving with it.
Eligibility starts with a current, unencumbered Florida practical nursing license. Outside sources describe an expectation of recent LPN work or recent PN program completion, though SCF does not publish specific hour requirements. The track includes 14 credits of prerequisite coursework plus general academic credits; exact course titles, minimum grades, and science recency limits are not spelled out in the materials available. The 2026 application window runs August 1 to September 15, with a summer start. The program is ACEN accredited, and its graduates posted a 94.9% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate.
What It Costs, and Why the Math Works
At $102.48 per credit hour for Florida residents, SCF estimated the total transition program cost at roughly $11,984. Starting an RN program from scratch means paying for 42 nursing credits instead of 32, which is real money and at least a semester or two of extra time. The RN wage jump in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro is substantial enough that most LPNs recover bridge tuition quickly, which is the whole argument for the advanced-placement route.
If You Can Commute or Study Partly Online
- St. Petersburg College: The SPC LPN program offers an LPN-to-RN AS nursing track at $111.75 per credit for Florida residents, with nursing coursework estimated near $10,534 (general education not included).
- Galen College of Nursing: An LPN/LVN to ADN bridge with Sarasota and Tampa Bay locations.
- South Florida State College: A transition LPN/paramedic-to-RN option offered on an evening and weekend schedule.
One practical move: knock out general education and prerequisite courses while you are still working as an LPN. Arriving with those 14 prerequisite credits finished shortens the bridge considerably and keeps your nursing semesters from competing with a full-time floor schedule.
