Wilmington sits inside the greater Philadelphia metro, which means practical nursing students here rarely limit themselves to New Castle County. A 30-mile radius pulls in campuses across four states, from Newark to Chester County to Cecil County, Maryland, so commute distance ends up mattering as much as tuition when you compare programs.
Locally, three names come up constantly: Delaware Technical Community College's Stanton campus, the Delaware Skills Center, and the Delcastle Technical High School adult program. Each runs on a different calendar, different cost structure, and different admissions bar, and none of them look much like a generic community-college nursing track.
What follows breaks down real tuition figures, published NCLEX-PN pass rates, Delaware Board of Nursing licensing steps, and a ranked comparison of every program worth applying to. Jump straight to the program list →
Who Hires LPNs in Wilmington and What the Local Job Market Looks Like
Most students picture themselves in a hospital, but the steadiest LPN work in Delaware is elsewhere. Knowing that before you enroll in LPN programs in Delaware changes how you plan clinicals, how you apply, and how far you are willing to drive.
The Employers Worth Knowing
ChristianaCare is the dominant health system in New Castle County, with Nemours Children's Health, Bayhealth, and Saint Francis Healthcare also operating in or near Wilmington. None of these systems publish LPN-specific headcounts, so treat them as likely employers rather than guaranteed openings, and check their career pages for what is actually posted.
Long-term care nursing and skilled nursing offer a larger, more reliable pool of jobs. Facilities licensed in and around Wilmington include Regency Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on North Broom Street (100 beds), Gilpin Hall on Gilpin Avenue (96 residents), New Castle Health & Rehabilitation Center (120 beds), Brackenville Center in Hockessin (104 beds), Newark Manor Nursing Home (67 beds), and smaller communities such as Stonegates and Five Star Foulk Manor North. Beyond LTC, LPNs in Delaware commonly work in rehab, correctional health, home health and hospice, and physician offices. Acute-care hospital LPN roles exist but are comparatively limited, which is why so many new graduates start in a facility setting.
Scope of Practice and Supervision
The Delaware Board of Nursing licenses practical nurses to work under the direction of an RN, physician, dentist, or other authorized provider. In practice, that means LPN duties include collecting data and contributing to the plan of care rather than performing the initial comprehensive assessment, and certain tasks (IV therapy specifics, certain medication routes, delegation to unlicensed staff) are governed by board rules and employer policy. Verify current regulations with the Board before you assume a job duty is within scope.
How Far You Can Reasonably Commute
Wilmington's location widens your options considerably. Newark, New Castle, and Claymont are short drives, and Chester, Pennsylvania plus parts of Philadelphia sit within roughly 45 minutes depending on traffic. Federal wage data groups Wilmington into the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro, where LPN employment was reported at about 13,020 in May 20231, down from roughly 14,170 the prior year2, with average pay rising over the same period. Crossing a state line for work means holding the right license, so confirm multistate or endorsement requirements first.
Online and Hybrid LPN Options for Delaware Students
No Practical Nursing Program Is Fully Online
If you are searching for a fully online LPN program in Wilmington, the honest answer is that one does not exist, and not because schools have not gotten around to building it. Delaware requires supervised, in-person clinical hours before you may take the NCLEX-PN. No state board approves a practical nursing candidate for the exam without documented hands-on clinical time. That is why every program marketed as an "online LPN program" is actually a hybrid: theory delivered online, labs and clinical rotations delivered in person.
What Hybrid Actually Looks Like
In a hybrid LPN program, the lecture-heavy portions tend to move online. Anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, nursing fundamentals theory, growth and development, and similar didactic coursework are commonly delivered through a learning platform, sometimes asynchronously. What stays on campus is the part that cannot be simulated through a screen:
- Skills lab: injections, catheter insertion, wound care, vital signs, and sterile technique, all check-offs performed under an instructor's eye.
- Clinical rotations: scheduled shifts at long-term care facilities, hospitals, and other partner sites, with a clinical instructor present.
- Testing: many programs require proctored exams on campus regardless of how the content was taught.
Among programs serving Wilmington, Delaware Technical Community College's practical nursing offering is the one identified with a hybrid delivery format. Delaware Skills Center in Wilmington, which is approved by the Delaware Board of Nursing, is listed as in-person delivery. Wilmington University's online and hybrid nursing options are bridge degrees such as RN-to-BSN and LPN-to-BSN, not an entry-level practical nursing diploma.
Verify Approval Before You Enroll
Out-of-state online programs advertise aggressively to Delaware residents. Before committing, confirm with the Delaware Board of Nursing that the program leads to licensure here, and ask the school exactly where your clinical placements will occur. If you train in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, you would typically license in that state first and then apply to Delaware by endorsement, which adds paperwork, fees, and time.
Working adults are usually better served by a hybrid-blended or evening track at an approved local program than by chasing a fully online option that cannot exist.
Program Length, Evening, Weekend, and Part-Time Schedules
Eleven months is the length of the Delaware Skills Center LPN program, running August through June with a single cohort admitted each year. That is the most concrete timeline available for LPN school applicants in Wilmington right now, and it comes with a catch worth planning around before you enroll.
Full-Time Daytime Is the Norm
Delaware Skills Center runs Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 3:00 pm, daytime only. There is no evening track, and attendance is mandatory, with the Delaware Board of Nursing setting minimum required hours. If you need to keep a full-time day job, this schedule will not accommodate it.
DTCC's Practical Nursing Studies program at the Stanton campus in Newark also admits annually, with applications due May 15. Published information does not confirm a specific 2026 start month or whether Stanton offers any evening, weekend, or part-time option, so applicants should confirm current scheduling directly with the admissions office rather than assume a night-cohort exists.
What About Evening or Part-Time Cohorts
Neither Delaware Skills Center nor DTCC Stanton is currently confirmed to offer an evening or weekend LPN track. Delcastle Technical High School's adult education programs are sometimes mentioned alongside local practical nursing options, but available information does not establish that Delcastle currently runs an LPN program comparable to Skills Center or DTCC, so treat any evening-schedule claims there with caution until you verify directly with the school.
Cohort Starts and Working During Clinicals
Both confirmed programs admit once a year rather than offering rolling or multiple entry points, so missing an application window typically means waiting a full year for the next start. That single-entry model also means less flexibility if your personal schedule shifts mid-year.
Be realistic about clinicals. Even programs built around a compressed daytime classroom schedule place students in hospitals and long-term care facilities during standard weekday shifts. Holding a full-time job through clinical rotations is difficult for most students; many either reduce hours, switch to part-time work, or lean on savings and family support for the stretch of the program when clinical placements dominate the weekly calendar.
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Admission Requirements, TEAS Scores, and Wait Lists
Delaware Tech runs the only in-state practical nursing program serving Wilmington, and admission is competitive even though the college itself has an open-door policy. Getting in is a two-step process: you apply to the college first, then submit a separate application to the nursing program, which is ranked rather than first-come, first-served. Here is what you actually need to have in hand.
- High school diploma, GED, or U.S. equivalencyDelaware Tech admits high school graduates or equivalent, as well as applicants 18 and older who can demonstrate ability to benefit. For practical nursing specifically, an official diploma, GED, or U.S. equivalency evaluation is required, Delaware law mandates it before you can sit for the NCLEX-PN, so this is not a document you can defer.
- Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPAPractical nursing applicants need at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. If you have not yet taken Delaware Tech courses, the college will use the GPA from your most recent college attended.
- ATI TEAS entrance exam, 58.7% composite minimumThe TEAS is the entrance exam for practical nursing at Delaware Tech and the primary factor in ranking applicants. The minimum composite has held at 58.7% through recent admission cycles; score below it and your file is not eligible for ranking at all. Under the points system used for review, your composite converts directly to admission points (58.7% becomes 5.87), so every point above the floor improves your standing. Scores are generally accepted for three years, with retakes spaced about a month apart and the highest recent score counted.
- In-person TEAS testingDelaware Tech moved to in-person TEAS administration in 2024; remotely proctored attempts are only honored for candidates who had already tested or registered before that change. Plan to test on campus and register early, since seats on test dates fill ahead of nursing application deadlines. ATI charges a testing fee, so budget for it, and for a possible retake, separately from tuition.
- Prerequisite mathYou will need MAT 152 (Quantitative Reasoning) or an accepted college-level math course or transfer equivalent. Clear this before you apply rather than during the review cycle.
- Background check, drug screen, and health clearancesA criminal background check is required. Practical nursing students also complete health and legal clearances before clinical placement, which at nursing programs generally means fingerprinting, a drug screen, documented immunizations and titers, a physical exam, and current CPR certification. Delaware Tech's published materials confirm the clearance requirement but do not spell out the full vaccine list or which offenses are disqualifying, so ask the nursing office directly if you have a record, these gates derail more applicants than the TEAS does.
- Seat limits and how competitive it really isPractical nursing at Delaware Tech is a single competitive process across campuses, with qualified applicants ranked and seats offered in rank order until the cohort is full. The college does not publish how many practical nursing seats exist per campus or cohort, and its FAQs describe a selection process rather than a rolling multi-year wait list, so there is no published wait-list length to plan around. Treat it as a ranked competition: apply as early in the cycle as the deadline allows, and test high enough that you are not sitting near the cutoff.
- Nearby Pennsylvania alternativesIf you are willing to cross the state line, the Delaware County Intermediate Unit practical nursing program in Delaware County, PA accepts TEAS composites of 44% and above, with remediation required for scores between 44% and 57% and none needed above 57%. Scores must be within two years, retakes require a 30-day wait, and a $260 fee holds your seat. Delaware County Community College sets a higher bar of 59% composite on the ATI TEAS Version 7 with subscore minimums (69% reading, 60% math, 59% science, 59% English) and caps attempts at three, though that packet is oriented toward its RN track rather than practical nursing.
What LPN School Actually Costs in Wilmington, Tuition, Fees, and Hidden Extras
In-state tuition at Delaware Technical Community College runs $152.50 per credit hour, which worked out to roughly $4,700 in annual tuition for 2025-2026 and about $5,445 a year once mandatory fees were added at recent published rates , a useful baseline for LPN program cost.
Program Prices Around Wilmington
Delaware Skills Center lists its 11-month LPN program at $13,600 for students paying the non-funded rate, updated for 2026. That center does not offer payment plans or federal financial aid, and tuition is due in full before class starts, though workforce-funded seats have historically covered the cost for eligible students. Delcastle Technical's adult practical nursing program does not publish a current total program cost, so ask the admissions office directly before you budget.
A few institution-wide figures give useful context, though none are specific to the nursing program: Dawn Career Institute in Newark shows an average net price of about $14,839 with roughly 84% of students receiving Pell grants. Cecil College in North East, Maryland sits near $9,658 net price, and Chester County Intermediate Unit near $14,441. Those numbers describe the whole institution, not the LPN track alone.
The Costs Nobody Puts on the Tuition Page
Budget separately for these. They are non-negotiable and they arrive early:
- Entrance exam: The ATI TEAS costs $120 plus tax when booked directly, with retakes charged at full price and additional score transcripts at $27. Some schools proctor their own sessions at different rates.
- NCLEX-PN: $200 per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE and entirely separate from your state paperwork.
- Delaware licensure: The Board of Nursing application fee is $181 (reinstatement, if you ever let a license lapse, is $272).
- Everything else: Uniforms, a stethoscope and basic assessment kit, textbooks and testing software, a criminal background check, drug screening, and a full immunization and titer package. Programs rarely itemize these up front; ask for the current list in writing.
A Realistic All-In Range
An in-state Del Tech student who finishes on schedule can realistically land in the $6,000 to $7,500 range once tuition, fees, exam fees, and licensure are counted. At Delaware Skills Center paying the full published rate, or at a private career school in the area, plan closer to $14,000 to $16,000. Workforce funding and Pell eligibility can move either number substantially.
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates for Delaware Practical Nursing Programs
The Delaware Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-PN pass rates for every state-approved practical nursing program, and the most recent reporting period runs from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. Delaware's 120 first-time test takers passed at 95.83 percent, comfortably above the national figure of 89.46 percent across 49,509 candidates. Read the rates alongside the candidate counts: a program testing six graduates can swing to 100 percent or crater on a single failure, so small cohorts deserve a look at several years of results rather than one snapshot.
| Program | First-Time Candidates | NCLEX-PN Pass Rate | Reporting Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus | 15 | 100% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Delaware Technical Community College, Stanton Campus | 6 | 100% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus | 19 | 94.74% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Delaware Skills Center | 43 | 100% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Polytech Adult Education | 36 | 91.67% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Leads/Adoni Health Institute | 1 | 0% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| Delaware Statewide Total | 120 | 95.83% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
| National | 49,509 | 89.46% | 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024 |
Getting Licensed as an LPN in Delaware
Ranked LPN and Practical Nursing Programs Serving Wilmington
Below are the ranked LPN and practical nursing programs serving Wilmington students, all within a realistic drive of the city. Each entry covers the credential offered, the class format, and the institution-wide net price, along with the kind of student the schedule tends to suit. Read it alongside the pass-rate and cost sections above, since a strong fit on one measure can look different once tuition and NCLEX-PN results are side by side.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt
- Institutional graduation rates
- Program format and schedule
- Net price and total cost
- Commuting distance to Wilmington
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering retention rates, student-faculty ratios and net price — nces.ed.gov
Chester County Intermediate Unit
A public intermediate unit program delivering a weekday, campus-based practical nursing certificate that blends classroom instruction, lab practice, and clinical rotations in nursing homes, rehab centers, and community health settings. It relocates to the West Grove campus in fall 2026, putting it just across the Pennsylvania line within a realistic drive of Wilmington; non-Pennsylvania residents pay a higher tuition rate, so Delaware students should budget for out-of-state pricing. Institution-wide net price is about $14,400, and program-level completion and earnings figures are not published.
- ACEN continuing accreditation
- Classes run Monday through Friday
- Non-Pennsylvania residents pay a higher tuition rate
- Clinical rotations in nursing homes, rehab centers, and community health
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
- Scheduled move to the West Grove campus in fall 2026
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dawn Career Institute LLC
The only Delaware-based school on this list, with a Newark campus and a 48-week practical nursing diploma taught in daytime classes that combine simulation labs with clinical rotations starting in the second quarter. The program holds Delaware Board of Nursing approval and trains students at a Wilmington long-term care community, so clinical hours happen close to home. Applicants can qualify with any one of several entrance exams instead of a single required test, and a partnership with BAYADA Home Health Care offers tuition support tied to a one-year work commitment. Institution-wide net price is about $14,800.
- 48-week diploma program
- Approved by the Delaware Board of Nursing
- Clinical rotations begin in the second quarter
- Simulation lab training with specialized manikins
- Clinical partnership with Foulk Living in Wilmington
- Capstone required before graduation
- Day classes with small cohort sizes
- Graduates sit for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Delaware County Technical School-Practical Nursing Program
A full-time, 12-month daytime practical nursing program based at the Marple Education Center in Broomall, with clinical placements across Delaware County and Philadelphia. Two cohorts start each year, in September and February, and the program recently moved into a larger facility to accommodate growing enrollment; admission requires the TEAS plus a non-refundable application fee. Institution-wide net price is about $22,400, and program-level completion and earnings figures are not published.
- 12-month program
- Full-time daytime schedule
- Two start dates each year, in September and February
- Clinical placements in Delaware and Philadelphia counties
- New larger facility for growing enrollment
- Financial aid available for those who qualify
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Salem Community College
The campus sits in Carneys Point, New Jersey, just across the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and the 44-week practical nursing certificate is ACEN accredited with a simulated lab built to mirror real healthcare settings. The college states the curriculum meets LPN licensure requirements in both New Jersey and Delaware, and it publishes a Delaware resident tuition rate below the general out-of-state price, which softens the cross-border cost; nursing fees are assessed each term on top of tuition. Institution-wide net price is about $10,800, and the institution-wide graduation rate is roughly 40 percent.
- 44-week certificate program
- ACEN accredited
- $13,084 total program tuition
- QSEN competencies integrated into the curriculum
- Clinical experiences in long-term care settings
- Delaware resident tuition rate below general out-of-state pricing
- Meets LPN licensure requirements in New Jersey and Delaware
- Simulated lab mirrors real healthcare settings
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Cecil College
Located in North East, Maryland, roughly an hour from Wilmington and marketed as accessible from the city, with clinical affiliations spanning Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. The practical nursing certificate pairs classroom theory with hospital and clinic rotations, and the college states it meets licensure requirements in Maryland and Delaware, so Delaware licensing stays open to graduates. Admission is selective with one fall start and a preference for Cecil County residents, which puts Delaware applicants in the general out-of-state pool. Institution-wide net price is about $9,700, and the institution-wide graduation rate is roughly 37 percent.
- One fall start per year
- 2.5 GPA minimum to apply
- Prerequisite courses required
- Clinical experiences across Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania
- Meets licensure requirements in Maryland and Delaware
- Neuman Systems Model curriculum framework
- Articulation agreements with BSN programs
Certificate in Practical Nursing — On-Campus
Camden County College
A three-semester practical nursing certificate taught at the Blackwood, New Jersey campus, with day and evening options for students who need to keep working while they train. Coursework covers nursing theory, lab skills, and clinical practice in hospitals, long-term care, and home health, and graduates can continue into the college's own LPN-to-RN associate degree. The campus is reachable from Wilmington by way of I-295 and Route 42. Institution-wide net price is the lowest on this list at about $6,000, and the institution-wide graduation rate is roughly 31 percent.
- Three-semester, 42-credit certificate
- Daytime and evening options available
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Approved by the New Jersey Board of Nursing
- ACEN accredited
- Must maintain 75% in nursing courses
- Clinical placements in hospitals, long-term care, and home health
- LPN-to-RN associate degree pathway at the same college
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology
A Media, Pennsylvania school offering an ACEN-accredited practical nursing certificate that takes about 12 months of daytime, in-person study with clinical rotations in hospitals, rehab centers, and skilled nursing facilities. Classes stay small, with a 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, free tutoring, and no entrance exam requirement. Tuition is the same for Pennsylvania and out-of-state students, so Delaware residents avoid a surcharge, but clinical sites are not limited to Delaware County and students arrange their own transportation. Institution-wide net price is about $17,900, and the institution-wide graduation rate is roughly 21 percent.
- $26,850 total program tuition
- 12-month, 50-credit certificate
- No entrance exam required
- 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio
- 87% licensure pass rate
- 86% job placement rate
- Daytime, in-person classes in Media, Pennsylvania
- Clinical rotations in hospitals, rehab centers, and skilled nursing
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Health and Technology Training Institute
A Center City Philadelphia program built for working adults, with a 22-month part-time practical nursing track taught in the evening and on weekends. Admission is staged, moving through an information session, an application and essay, TEAS testing, an interview, and conditional acceptance, and applicants need a passing TEAS average with minimum scores in each section. The program holds full approval from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and serves as a launch point toward registered nursing. Institution-wide net price is the highest on this list at about $37,000, and completion data is not published.
- 22-month, part-time program
- Evening and weekend classes for working adults
- TEAS required with minimum scores in each section
- CPR certification and background clearances required
- Full approval from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
- Pathway to a Registered Nurse career
- Next cohort starts February 2027
- Open enrollment March through October 2026
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester
The Gloucester campus in Sewell, New Jersey is reachable from the Delaware River bridges and runs a two-semester practical nursing certificate in a cohort-based, fall-start format. Admission is selective and portfolio-based, with a mandatory information session and an application window that runs from early January to late February, and clinical placements can sit up to 90 minutes from campus. Institution-wide net price is about $12,400, and the institution-wide graduation rate is roughly 39 percent.
- Two-semester certificate completed in one year
- Cohort-based structure with a fall start
- Portfolio-based selective admission
- Mandatory information session before applying
- Application window runs early January to late February
- Clinical placements within 90 minutes of campus
- Academic Certificate in Practical Nursing awarded
- Offered at the Gloucester and Cumberland campuses
