Bowie has no state-approved practical nursing program inside its city limits, and Bowie State University runs only a BSN and MSN, not an LPN credential or an LPN to RN in Maryland bridge. Anyone set on becoming a licensed practical nurse here is looking at a 30 to 40 minute commute.
The realistic radius includes Prince George's Community College in Largo, a handful of Washington, DC options, LPN programs in Baltimore, and campuses in Anne Arundel County. In-county tuition, admissions cutoffs, NCLEX-PN pass rates, and starting pay vary widely across that set, so the school you pick shapes both what you spend and how quickly you sit the exam.
And with DC-metro hospitals shifting toward all-RN bedside staffing, where you train increasingly determines where you can work.
Does Bowie State University Offer an LPN Program? What's Actually Nearby
Bowie State University does not offer an LPN or practical nursing credential of any kind.1 The BSU Department of Nursing runs a BSN and an MSN, both approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The department states plainly that it does not train CNAs or LPNs, and it does not operate an LPN-to-RN bridge. Working LPNs who apply are admitted as undergraduates into the traditional BSN track, not into a practical nursing pathway.
LPN vs. RN: Know Which Credential You're Shopping For
An LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) is a one-year certificate or diploma credential that ends with the NCLEX-PN exam. An RN (Registered Nurse) requires either a two-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year bachelor's degree (BSN) and ends with the NCLEX-RN. If a program says associate's, bachelor's, or RN anywhere in its title, it is not going to produce an LPN. That distinction matters because several institutions within commuting range of Bowie only run RN programs, and applying to one expecting a practical nursing certificate wastes an admissions cycle.
Real LPN Options Within Roughly 40 Miles of Bowie
Maryland's Board of Nursing lists 13 approved practical nursing programs statewide as of June 2026. The closest is Prince George's Community College in Largo, roughly 10 miles from Bowie and inside the same county. Beyond PGCC, in-state community college nursing programs generally within commuting range include Anne Arundel Community College, Howard Community College in Columbia, and, near the edge of the radius, Community College of Baltimore County-Dundalk and Baltimore City Community College. Montgomery College (Rockville, Takoma Park/Silver Spring, Germantown) and College of Southern Maryland (La Plata, Prince Frederick, Leonardtown) also run PN programs, though the specific campus offering PN affects drive time.
Across the DC line, DC Health's 2025 approved list names Saint Michael College of Allied Health on Bladensburg Road NE (roughly 20 to 25 miles from Bowie) and Strayer University downtown.2 The University of the District of Columbia has also listed a Practical Nursing Certificate under DC Board of Nursing approval; confirm current status directly with UDC before applying.2
BSU, Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and Georgetown are RN and BSN institutions, not LPN routes.
Where Bowie LPNs Actually Work: Prince George's County Employers and Scope of Practice
Bedside hospital jobs for LPNs have quietly narrowed across the DC metro as systems lean toward all-RN staffing models, which pushes most local LPN hiring into post-acute, outpatient, and community health settings instead. That shift matters for anyone planning a career around Bowie, Largo, Lanham, Upper Marlboro, or Crofton, because it shapes where a new license actually gets used.
The Local Employer Mix
Across Prince George's County, LPNs are most consistently hired by skilled nursing and long term care facilities, physician practices, home health agencies, correctional health units, and outpatient dialysis clinics. Hospitals still employ LPNs in Prince George's County and the wider Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, but increasingly in specialized or supervised roles rather than general bedside nursing. Long-term care remains the steadiest source of full-time openings, followed by home health and ambulatory care centers serving the communities around Bowie.
What Maryland LPNs Are Licensed to Do
Maryland LPN scope of practice centers on basic nursing care delivered under an RN's or physician's supervision.1 Within that structure, LPNs handle wound care, vital signs, specimen collection, catheter insertion, documentation, medication administration, treatments, and infusion therapy, provided the work stays within COMAR 10.27.20 and the employer's written infusion policies. IV therapy generally requires an RN on site or immediately available, and IV push administration is typically off-limits for LPNs except in licensed outpatient dialysis facilities, where it may be given by physician order under direct RN supervision.2
Where the Boundaries Sit
LPNs are not licensed to perform independent comprehensive assessments or build initial care plans, tasks that stay with RNs.2 Delegation runs the other direction: an LPN can delegate appropriate tasks to a CNA, medication technician, or other unlicensed staff member, as long as patient welfare isn't compromised. For students weighing programs, this scope explains why employer settings matter as much as tuition. A long-term care facility, a home health agency, and a dialysis clinic each use an LPN's license differently, and understanding that before enrollment helps set realistic expectations for day-one responsibilities.
Online and Hybrid LPN Options for Bowie Students
Fully online LPN training does not exist in Maryland or Washington, DC for students who need to take the NCLEX-PN and apply for a Maryland or DC practical nursing license. Online in this field means hybrid LPN programs: theory and some quizzes can be completed remotely, but skills labs, simulations, and patient-care clinical rotations require in-person attendance at an approved site. That is not a school preference. It is the regulatory reality of teaching safe, hands-on nursing care.
What hybrid actually means
Most hybrid practical nursing programs deliver lectures, reading, discussions, and exams online through a learning management system. Students then travel to campus or a partner facility for scheduled skills practice, simulation learning, and supervised clinical shifts. For Bowie students, that often means using online classes to reduce commuting time while keeping clinical placements in Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore, or DC.
Hybrid programs near Bowie
Within the current program list, Anne Arundel Community College is the clearest Maryland entry with a hybrid format. Its practical nursing program reports online-friendly coursework alongside required in-person labs and clinical rotations.
- Anne Arundel Community College: Lectures can be delivered online while skills labs and clinical placements stay in person.
- Baltimore City Community College: Offers an online/blended BCCC LPN program that pairs online coursework with scheduled in-person labs and clinicals.
- Allegany College of Maryland: Runs a weekend hybrid track. The school lists asynchronous online lessons and roughly 12 in-person hours per week for skills and clinical work, although that schedule is program-specific.
- Potomac College in DC: Advertises hybrid practical nursing with online didactic work and required in-person clinical rotations.
Red flag: out-of-state fully online LPN ads
Some companies market out-of-state online LPN schools as if every hour can be completed from home. A program that makes that promise will likely fall short of Maryland Board of Nursing expectations for board-approved clinical training, or it may not qualify you to apply for the NCLEX-PN in Maryland. Before paying for an out-of-state hybrid, confirm with the school and the Maryland Board of Nursing that the program is approved and that clinical sites in Maryland or DC are already arranged.
Prince George's Community College LPN Program: Cost, Requirements and Start Dates
An in-county seat at Prince George's Community College costs less than half of what an out-of-state applicant pays for the same practical nursing certificate, and that spread is the first thing to understand before you petition.
Tuition by Residency
PGCC bills nursing coursework per credit, and residency status changes the math significantly:
- In-county (Prince George's County): $119 per credit
- Out-of-county (Maryland resident): $214 per credit
- Out-of-state: $316 per credit
- Registration fee: $25 per semester
- Instructional service fee: $47 per credit, added on top of tuition
These are the current published rates and subject to change, so confirm them directly with the college before you budget a full cohort's worth of semesters.
Beyond Tuition: What Adds Up
Many program comparisons stop at tuition, which understates the real cost of enrolling. Plan separately for uniforms, a clinical lab kit, required textbooks, a criminal background check, a drug screen, and proof of immunizations, all of which clinical sites require before you can set foot on a unit. Add in the Maryland licensure application fee and the NCLEX-PN exam fee once you graduate, and the total investment climbs well past the sticker tuition price.
Prerequisites and Entrance Requirements
PGCC treats practical nursing as a special-admission, petition-based program, not a first-come enrollment. Before petitioning, applicants must complete English Composition, Introductory Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, and an introductory nursing course, all with a C or better. The college requires a minimum 2.50 GPA with no grade below C, and science courses must have been completed within the past 10 years. Applicants also sit for the ATI TEAS , prepare for your LPN entrance exam , needing a Proficient overall score with at least 70% on the reading subsection.
Application Deadlines and Cohort Start
The petition deadline for the practical nursing track is February 1, feeding a single fall cohort that begins in late August (Fall 2026 classes start August 24). There is no separate spring petition cycle for LPN applicants. Because petitions are ranked competitively rather than accepted on a rolling basis , a hallmark of LPN/LVN program admissions , meeting the minimum GPA and TEAS scores earns you a spot in the applicant pool, not a guaranteed seat, so stronger academic and test performance meaningfully improves your odds.
What an LPN Program Near Bowie Really Costs
A practical nursing program near Bowie is rarely just tuition. Tuition and lab or course fees recur every term you are enrolled, while the background check, health clearances, uniforms, NCLEX-PN seat fee and Maryland license application are one-time hits (the exam fee repeats only if you retest). Figures below are typical in-county community college ranges for 2026, not a fixed price list, and out-of-county or out-of-state tuition runs substantially higher.
Free and Tuition-Assisted LPN Training in Maryland and DC
Searching "free LPN programs in Bowie MD" turns up a lot of ads and very few genuinely free seats. The honest answer: fully tuition-free practical nursing programs are rare in Maryland and the District. What does exist is a set of funding routes that, stacked correctly, can drop your out-of-pocket cost close to zero. The tradeoff is paperwork and timing, and sometimes a commitment to work where the money came from.
State and workforce funding
The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship is the biggest lever for Prince George's County residents. It awards up to $5,000 per year as last-dollar aid, meaning it covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees after grants and other non-loan aid are applied. It requires roughly a 2.3 GPA,3 an application filed by the state deadline (April 1 for the 2025-2026 cycle),4 and a FAFSA, Maryland State Financial Aid Application, or MHEC One App on file. Nursing is named as an eligible field, and both credit and non-credit sequences can qualify, though you should confirm with your college that its specific practical nursing track is approved.4 Recipients must work full-time in Maryland within a year of earning the credential.
WIOA Adult funding also flows through the Prince George's County American Job Center and the Maryland Department of Labor, with roughly $14.1 million allocated statewide for the current program year.1 Eligibility and the list of approved training providers vary by local workforce area, so whether practical nursing is covered for you depends on board approval and the provider's presence on the state's eligible training provider list.1 Maryland's Workforce Development Sequence Scholarship (up to $2,000 per fiscal year)2 reliably covers stepping stones like CNA to LPN training, which many LPN applicants need anyway.
Employer money and DC residents
Long-term care chains around Bowie and Landover commonly pay for or reimburse nursing education, usually tied to a service commitment of one to two years. Get the payback terms in writing before you sign. For DC residents, tuition assistance options exist but are generally oriented toward degree programs, so verify applicability directly.
Before enrolling, ask the financial aid office: is this exact program on the eligible training provider list, what does the Promise award leave uncovered (books, uniforms, testing, transport), and what happens to your aid if you withdraw mid-term.
Admission Requirements for Maryland LPN Programs
Maryland has no single statewide admissions standard for practical nursing. Every Board-approved program sets its own GPA floor, prerequisite list and entrance exam cutoff, so build your application around the specific school's current packet rather than a general rule. That said, the stack below shows up at nearly every program within driving distance of Bowie.
- High school diploma or GEDUniversal across accredited Maryland practical nursing programs. This is the baseline document, everything else layers on top of it.
- Minimum GPA (typically 2.0 to 2.5)CCBC sets a 2.00 pre-admission GPA for 2025-2026, and the College of Southern Maryland uses 2.0 for high school applicants or college applicants with at least 12 credits. Carroll Community College requires 2.500. Howard Community College splits the difference with a 2.25 prerequisite GPA plus a 2.0 overall GPA. In the District, the University of the District of Columbia sets a higher bar at 2.8 cumulative and general education. Note that admission GPA and progression GPA are different things, CCBC expects a 3.0 after the first term to stay in the certificate track.
- Prerequisite courseworkExpect anatomy and physiology, math and English. Howard lists MATH 132, MATH 138, BIOL 107, BIOL 203 and CHEM 103. CCBC requires a C or better in prerequisites. CSM requires placement into ENG-1010 and MTH-1120 and out of developmental reading. Watch recency limits: both Howard and Carroll cap science coursework at five years old.
- ATI TEAS entrance examThe TEAS is the standard exam at Maryland programs, but cut scores vary. CCBC requires a 58.7% overall plus 69.0% in reading, and an application without an official score by the deadline may not be reviewed at all. Harford also uses 58.7. CSM cites a 59% composite for credit nursing programs, though the same booklet references a higher figure elsewhere without clarifying which program or selection phase it applies to, verify directly with the school before testing.
- CNA certificationNot universal in Maryland. Some programs require or prefer it; many do not. Treat it as a program-by-program question rather than an assumed hurdle.
- Health and clearance documentsImmunization records, current CPR certification, a criminal background check and drug screening are standard. At most programs these are clinical placement requirements rather than application requirements, meaning they come due before you set foot in a facility, not before you submit. Confirm the timing so you are not scrambling weeks before rotations start.
- Application fees and deadlinesCCBC charges a $50 application fee for 2025-2026. Deadlines are firm, and at several programs an incomplete file is simply not reviewed.
- "No prerequisites" programs, the honest answerNo Maryland program clearly admits students into the clinical track with zero college-level coursework. CCBC will admit new students with no transfer credits, but places them in ACDV 101 during the first semester unless a transcript waives it, and the practical nursing prerequisites still have to be completed. CSM may accept high-school-only applicants who meet placement and TEAS standards, though whether college-level science must be finished before clinicals is not clearly stated. Howard and Carroll both require college-level work up front. The tradeoff is real: a program that lets you start without prerequisites usually front-loads them into your first terms, which stretches the timeline rather than eliminating the work.
- How competitive seats actually areMeeting the minimum does not secure a seat. Carroll describes its process as selective, and programs with GPA floors in the 2.0 to 2.5 range routinely admit stronger applicants, particularly in science and math, because cohort sizes are capped by clinical placement capacity. If your GPA or TEAS score is at the minimum, apply to more than one program.
Program Length, Clinical Hours and Class Schedules
An LPN program is really two things layered together: classroom instruction on nursing theory, and hands-on clinical practice in real care settings, both regulated by the Maryland Board of Nursing before a school can call itself an approved program. How those two pieces are scheduled determines whether a Bowie applicant finishes in a year or closer to fifteen months, and whether daytime work or family obligations are even compatible with enrolling.
Full-Time Versus Part-Time Tracks
Most full-time LPN programs serving the Bowie area run 12 to 15 months, with days built around classroom lectures, skills labs, and scheduled clinical rotations. Part-time, evening, and weekend formats exist at some Maryland training programs, structured for students who work days or manage caregiving, though pace and total length vary by school rather than following a single statewide standard. If evenings or weekends matter to your decision, confirm the actual course calendar directly with the program rather than assuming a fixed timeline.
Clinical Hours and Where Rotations Happen
Maryland regulation sets minimums of 60 theory hours, 8 classroom lab hours completed before clinical work begins, and 60 on-site clinical hours, described in state rules as a supervised clinical learning experience. In practice, programs build well beyond that floor once labs, simulation, and extended rotations are added. Bowie-area students typically rotate through hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other approved clinical sites, gaining exposure to acute care, geriatric care, and community-based nursing before graduation.
Placement Isn't Your Choice, and Neither Is Timing
Clinical placement is assigned by the program, not selected by the student. Depending on which facilities hold active agreements with your school, that can mean regular travel across Prince George's County or into neighboring Anne Arundel County. Build that commute into your planning early.
Cohort start dates also shape your wait. Programs generally admit for fall or spring, and seats fill on their own timelines, so applying well ahead of your target term matters more in Bowie's competitive market than in areas with rolling admission.
Related Articles
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates for Maryland Practical Nursing Programs
First-time NCLEX-PN pass rates are the single most useful quality signal you have when comparing practical nursing programs, because every graduate sits the same national exam. The figures below come from the Maryland Board of Nursing's FY 2024 report (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024) for first-time candidates from Maryland practical nursing programs. For context, Maryland PN programs posted a 96.15% first-time pass rate statewide in FY 2024, while the national first-time pass rate for all NCLEX-PN candidates in 2024 was 89.65% (88.40% among U.S.-educated first-time candidates), meaning Maryland's programs as a group outperformed the country.
| Program | Location | NCLEX-PN First-Time Pass Rate | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George's Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Baltimore City Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Carroll Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Cecil Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Hagerstown Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Wor-Wic Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 100.00% | FY 2024 |
| Anne Arundel Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 96.30% | FY 2024 |
| Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 96.00% | FY 2024 |
| Allegany College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 93.33% | FY 2024 |
| Howard Community College | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 87.50% | FY 2024 |
| College of Southern Maryland | Maryland (Practical Nursing Program) | 81.82% | FY 2024 |
| All Maryland Practical Nursing Programs (statewide) | Maryland statewide | 96.15% | FY 2024 |
| All U.S. NCLEX-PN candidates (national) | United States | 89.65% | 2024 |
LPN Pay and Job Outlook in the Bowie and Prince George's County Area
LPN pay in the Bowie area means what a licensed practical nurse actually takes home working in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, which spans the DC suburbs including Prince George's County. The most recent detailed federal wage data for this metro is a few years old, but it showed average annual pay climbing steadily, from roughly $54,900 in 20191 to about $56,500 by 20212, even as the number of LPNs counted in the region shrank noticeably over that same stretch.2 That combination, rising pay with a tighter labor pool, tends to favor job seekers.
The Realistic Range, Not Just the Average
Averages hide a lot. A newly licensed grad in a nursing home is not earning what a nurse with a decade of wound-care or IV therapy experience earns in a specialty clinic. Nearby Southern Maryland wage data from 2023 put the typical hourly rate around $30 to $313, which lines up reasonably well with what recruiters describe locally, but treat any single figure as a midpoint, not a promise. Expect a real spread between entry-level and experienced pay, often a $10-per-hour gap or more.
Pay Varies Sharply by Setting
- Skilled nursing and long-term care: Historically the largest employer of LPNs and often the most consistent hours, though not always the top hourly rate.
- Home health: Home health LPN job descriptions often feature competitive pay and flexible schedules, but travel time between visits is unpaid time to budget for.
- Physician offices and clinics: Often steadier, business-hours schedules, sometimes trading a bit of pay for predictability.
- Correctional and government roles: Frequently among the higher-paying settings in the region, reflecting the demands of the work.
Demand Holds Steady
National projections point to modest but real growth in Licensed Practical Nurse careers through the mid-2030s, with tens of thousands of annual openings driven largely by retirements.4 Maryland's own regional projections vary widely depending on which part of the state you look at, some areas barely growing, others showing much stronger demand.5 Prince George's County's aging population and dense network of nursing homes and rehab facilities suggest post-acute care will keep needing LPNs, even if exact local numbers aren't pinned down.
How to Get Your Maryland LPN License After Graduation
Ranked LPN and Nursing Programs Serving Bowie Students
Below are the top nursing programs serving Bowie students, ranked by cost, completion data, and program fit. Every campus listed sits within roughly 40 miles of ZIP code 20715, so each entry notes the realistic commute from Bowie and whether clinical placements happen close to home. All ten schools award an LPN or PN credential; where a school also offers an RN bridge, that pathway is called out so you apply to the right program.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt loads
- Institution graduation rates
- Program completion and credential type
- Commute distance from Bowie
- Cost after financial aid
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
- Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living index by state — bea.gov
Saint Michael College of Allied Health
Saint Michael College of Allied Health is a small, single-focus allied health school in Washington, DC, centered on its practical nursing certificate. Students complete 1,604 hours of theory and clinical training in a 14-month day track or an 18-month evening track, then sit for the NCLEX-PN. It is a campus-based, LPN-level program with no RN track of its own, and the credential is recognized for Maryland licensure, so Bowie students can train in DC and license back home in Maryland. Admission runs on a high school diploma or GED plus entrance exam scores in reading and math.
- 1,604 hours of theory and clinical training
- 14-month day track or 18-month evening track
- Graduates eligible for the NCLEX-PN exam
- High school diploma or GED required for admission
- Entrance exam: 76% reading and 70% math
- $75 application fee due upon acceptance
- Clinical hours vary by placement site
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing
Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing in Falls Church runs a hybrid practical nursing diploma: lectures online, skills labs on campus, and clinical rotations at partner facilities in acute, long-term, and ambulatory settings. Full-time students finish in 14 months, and a part-time track stretches to 18 months for people who keep working. The program is non-credit and vocational by design, with a stated target of an 80% NCLEX-PN pass rate and 80% job placement. It is an LPN credential only, with no RN program at the school.
- 1,350 total contact hours
- Full-time 14-month or part-time 18-month tracks
- 400 clinical hours in acute, long-term and ambulatory settings
- Hybrid delivery: online lectures with on-campus skills labs
- NCLEX-PN preparation with an 80% pass rate target
- Non-credit vocational diploma program
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
College of Southern Maryland
The College of Southern Maryland awards a Practical Nursing Certificate from its Regional Hughesville Campus, south of Bowie in Charles County. The program runs three clinical semesters with full-time and part-time options, is accredited by ACEN and approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing, and has trained LPNs for more than 40 years. Because it is a Maryland public college, graduates can carry the certificate into an associate degree RN program at any public community college in the state. Admission priority goes to residents of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties, so Bowie applicants are eligible but not in the first tier.
- ACEN accredited and Maryland Board of Nursing approved
- Three clinical semesters with fall starts
- Full-time and part-time options for working adults
- Clinical rotations in long-term care and community settings
- Graduates may articulate into RN associate degree programs statewide
- Admission priority goes to Southern Maryland service-area residents
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College offers a 41-credit Practical Nursing certificate that can be finished in a single academic year, with an evening and weekend schedule built for working adults. Instruction pairs classroom and simulation lab work with clinical rotations in acute medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and long-term care settings. The college advertises total program tuition under $6,500 and holds Maryland Board of Nursing approval. It sits in Arnold, roughly a 30-mile drive from Bowie, and Anne Arundel County residents receive first consideration for admission.
- 41-credit certificate completed in one academic year
- Evening and weekend class schedule
- Total program tuition advertised under $6,500
- Clinical rotations across hospitals, extended care and community agencies
- Maryland Board of Nursing approved
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — Hybrid
Prince George's Community College
Prince George's Community College in Largo is the closest public LPN option to Bowie and the only one inside the same county. Its 47-credit Nursing (LPN) Certificate blends general education courses with core nursing coursework and prepares students for the NCLEX-PN. The college also runs an LPN-to-RN transition associate degree that grants advanced standing to licensed LPNs, so a Bowie student can ladder from certificate to RN without changing campuses. County residents pay the lower in-county tuition rate.
- 47-credit certificate built for entry-level LPN practice
- Includes anatomy and physiology, psychology and communication coursework
- Articulation pathway into the associate degree RN program
- Academic advising through the Center for Health Studies
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
- Prince George's County residents pay the in-county tuition rate
Nursing (LPN) Certificate — On-Campus
Community College of Baltimore County
The Community College of Baltimore County runs its Practical Nursing certificate at the Dundalk campus, a 12-month, 46-credit program with fall day, summer day, and spring evening and weekend cohorts. Admission is competitive and requires prerequisite coursework, a 2.0 GPA minimum, TEAS scores, and a $50 application fee. Students can choose an admission track that lets them continue into the RN program after licensure, and the program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing. Bowie students pay the out-of-county Maryland rate here.
- 12-month, 46-credit certificate program
- Three start dates each year: spring, summer and fall
- Cohorts run at the Dundalk campus only
- TEAS entrance exam and 2.0 GPA minimum
- Evening and weekend cohort option
- Option to continue into the RN program after graduation
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Baltimore City Community College
Baltimore City Community College offers a 45-credit Practical Nursing certificate completed across three semesters, with 13 prerequisite credits and a biology placement exam before nursing courses begin. The curriculum covers adult health nursing, maternal-child nursing, medication calculation, and nursing practice, and the program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing. The college charges all Maryland residents the same base tuition rate and leans on state, city, and institutional aid that can reduce or eliminate costs for eligible students. An LPN-to-ADN advanced placement option lets graduates return for an associate degree.
- 45-credit certificate across three semesters
- 13 prerequisite credits required before nursing courses
- Approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing
- Covers adult health, maternal-child nursing and medication calculation
- Flat in-state tuition rate for all Maryland residents
- LPN-to-ADN advanced placement option for graduates
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College delivers its Practical Nursing certificate through the Reston Technology Center, a 12 to 14-month full-time workforce program with evening and weekend classes that suit commuters. The curriculum runs eight sequential courses into a capstone, with clinical placements within about 50 miles of campus. Admission requires a current unrestricted Virginia CNA license plus ATI TEAS proficient scores, which is the main hurdle for Bowie applicants coming from Maryland. The program is approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing and prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN.
- 12 to 14-month full-time workforce certificate
- Eight sequential courses ending in a capstone
- Evening and weekend classes at the Reston Technology Center
- Current unrestricted Virginia CNA license required for admission
- ATI TEAS proficient scores required in every section
- Clinical placements within about 50 miles of campus
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Fortis College-Landover
Fortis College-Landover is a private, career-focused campus on Garden City Drive in Landover, one of the shortest commutes on this list for Bowie residents. Its practical nursing diploma blends classroom instruction with hands-on clinical training and folds in career services plus connections to local Prince George's County employers. As a private school it costs considerably more than the public community college options here, so weigh it against PGCC before committing. It awards an LPN diploma only, with no RN track.
- Diploma pathway centered on hands-on clinical training
- Convenient class schedules for working students
- Career services and local employer connections for graduates
- Financial aid available to qualifying students
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
University of the District of Columbia
The University of the District of Columbia Community College awards an ACEN-accredited Practical Nursing Certificate with clinical rotations spanning the health continuum, from critical care to home health. Admission is competitive and requires a 2.8 GPA, prerequisite anatomy and physiology courses with a B or better, at least two recommendation letters, and a minimum ATI TEAS score of 58.7. There is a single fall cohort with a late-February application deadline, and students have three years to finish. Prince George's County residents qualify for UDC's DC Metropolitan tuition tier, which sits below full non-resident pricing but above Maryland community college rates.
- ACEN accredited and DC Board of Nursing approved
- Minimum 2.8 GPA and ATI TEAS score of 58.7
- Single fall cohort with a late-February application deadline
- Mandatory clinical rotations across the health continuum
- Program must be completed within three years
- Only one nursing course may be repeated
