Not a single approved practical nursing campus sits on the barrier island itself. Students starting from 33139 cross a causeway to reach programs in Miami, Homestead, and North Miami Beach, plus LPN programs in Hialeah FL; nearly all sit within 30 miles and most are served by Metrobus or Metrorail as well as by car.
The commute is the easy variable. Price is harder: the gap between a public technical college and a private career institute runs past $20,000. First-time NCLEX-PN performance is harder still, and it varies sharply between campuses a few exits apart.
Finishing a program does not make you an LPN. Florida licenses are issued by the Florida Board of Nursing, whose screening, fingerprinting, and application review move on their own timeline.
Practical Nursing Schools Within Reach of Miami Beach, Ranked
Below are the top practical nursing programs serving Miami Beach students, ranked here by cost after aid, completion data, and distance from the 33139 ZIP code. Every campus on the list sits on the mainland, so a causeway commute is part of the picture for Beach residents.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Net price after financial aid
- Distance from Miami Beach
- Program format and length
- 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
FVI School of Nursing and Technology
FVI School of Nursing and Technology is a private career institute in Miami whose practical nursing diploma runs 18 months across 57 credit hours. The institution-wide graduation rate is 89%, the highest among the schools here, while the average net price after aid is about $35,514, making this the priciest route on the list. Clinical partners include Memorial Healthcare System, HCA Florida and Holy Cross Health, all with facilities a reasonable drive from Miami Beach, and day classes paired with Monday through Saturday clinical windows suit Beach commuters.
- 18-month practical nursing diploma, 57 total credit hours
- Rolling admissions; day classes Monday through Friday
- Clinical rotations at hospitals, rehab centers and physician offices
- Integrated NCLEX-PN preparation with success coaches
- Financial aid and scholarships for qualifying students
- Clinical partners include Memorial Healthcare System, HCA Florida and Holy Cross Health
- Clinical rotations scheduled Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Florida Board of Nursing approved; job placement assistance offered
Practical Nursing Diploma — On-Campus
Sheridan Technical College
Sheridan Technical College is a public technical college in Hollywood, and its practical nursing certificate can be finished in 12 months with five start dates a year. The average net price after aid is about $6,677 and the institution-wide graduation rate is 69%. The school reports a 92% licensure pass rate alongside a 50% job placement rate, so ask about current employer connections during your visit. For Miami Beach students the tradeoff is a longer commute north into Broward for one of the lowest price tags here.
- 12-month practical nursing certificate with five start dates a year
- Approved by the Florida Board of Nursing and Florida Department of Education
- School-reported 92% licensure pass rate
- School-reported 50% job placement rate
- Clinical experience in acute care and long-term care settings
- Coursework spans medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric and geriatric nursing
- Basic Life Support (BLS) training included
- Pathway to continue into an RN or BSN program
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College is the county's public college, and its one-year Licensed Practical Nursing career technical certificate is based at the Medical Campus in Miami. In-state tuition and fees run about $2,838 and the average net price after aid is about $5,463, the lowest combination on this list, though the institution-wide graduation rate sits at 46%. Admission is selective, with prerequisite courses, a TEAS composite above 58% taken through the college's testing office, and a TABE requirement for some applicants. A school-reported 89% job placement rate makes it the value choice for Beach residents willing to cross the causeway.
- One-year Licensed Practical Nursing career technical certificate
- TEAS entrance exam and prerequisite courses required
- Based at the Medical Campus in Miami
- Florida Board of Nursing approved
- School-reported 80% licensure pass rate
- School-reported 89% job placement rate
- Financial aid and scholarships available to students
- Covers fundamentals of nursing, anatomy, pharmacology and adult health
Licensed Practical Nursing Career Technical Certificate — On-Campus
Lindsey Hopkins Technical College
Lindsey Hopkins Technical College is a public technical college in Miami whose practical nursing program covers more than 1,350 hours, at least half of it clinical. The average net price after aid is about $6,243 and the institution-wide graduation rate is 66%. Admission runs through the TEAS exam and a $20 application fee, and graduates are prepared for NCLEX-PN and roles in acute care, long-term care, home health and community settings.
- More than 1,350 hours of instruction, at least half clinical
- 675 clinical hours in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics
- TEAS entrance exam required; $20 application fee
- Approved by the Florida State Board of Nursing
- Coursework covers medical-surgical, maternal/newborn, pediatric and geriatric nursing
- Emphasis on safety, cultural sensitivity and legal aspects of practice
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
William T McFatter Technical College
William T. McFatter Technical College is a public technical college in Davie, in Broward County. Its 12-month practical nursing program starts five times a year, lists program tuition at $3,780 and total costs near $6,525 for Florida residents once fees and books are added, and carries an average net price after aid of about $11,901 with a 66% institution-wide graduation rate. The school reports a 97% licensure pass rate and a 77% job placement rate. Class days run Monday through Thursday, which helps if you are planning a regular commute from Miami Beach.
- 12-month program with five start dates per year
- $3,780 total program tuition before fees and books
- About $6,525 total for Florida residents including fees and books
- Full-time day schedule, Monday through Thursday
- School-reported 97% licensure pass rate
- School-reported 77% job placement rate
- TEAS exam, physical exam and background check required
- Integrated lab, simulation and clinical training
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — Hybrid
HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing
HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing is a hospital-based program in Miami, and students train on working units with real patients and care teams rather than in a standalone classroom. The average net price after aid is about $9,109; the school does not report an institution-wide graduation rate. The one-year program is ACEN accredited and approved by the Florida Board of Nursing, and its setting gives Beach students direct exposure to the hospital units where many LPNs are hired.
- One-year, hospital-based practical nursing program
- Clinical training on working hospital units with real patients
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Florida Board of Nursing
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam
- Graduates work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care and physician offices
- Institution reports a student-faculty ratio near 8 to 1
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Compu-Med Vocational Careers Corp
Compu-Med Vocational Careers is a private career institute in Hialeah offering a 52-week practical nursing diploma built on small campus cohorts, simulation labs and clinical rotations. The institution-wide graduation rate is 81%, but the average net price after aid is about $49,299, by far the highest on this list. Coursework includes pharmacology and IV therapy plus a transition-to-practice course on leadership and teamwork. Beach residents should weigh that price against the school's shorter timeline and hands-on format.
- 52-week practical nursing diploma, 46 credit hours
- Clinical rotations plus hands-on simulation labs
- Covers pharmacology and IV therapy, medical-surgical, maternal newborn and pediatric care
- Transition-to-practice course on leadership and teamwork
- Small campus-based cohorts in Hialeah
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Florida Academy of Nursing
Florida Academy of Nursing is a private career institute in Miramar whose practical nursing diploma totals 1,485 hours, split between a 71-week day track and a 79-week evening track. The average net price after aid is about $10,054, and the school does not report an institution-wide graduation rate. It is ACCSC accredited and campus-based, with course content centered on safe patient care, teamwork and relationship-centered practice, plus a foundation for continuing on toward RN education.
- Practical nursing diploma totaling 1,485 hours
- Day track runs 71 weeks; evening track runs 79 weeks
- ACCSC accredited; eligible to apply for LPN licensure
- Onsite campus delivery with day and evening schedules
- Focus on safe patient care, teamwork and relationship-centered care
- Built as a foundation for further nursing education
Practical Nursing Diploma Program — On-Campus
Concorde Career Institute-Miramar
Concorde Career Institute in Miramar is a private career institute whose practical nursing diploma can be completed in as few as 12 to 13 months. The average net price after aid is about $27,673 and the institution-wide graduation rate is 67%. Students are admitted directly into the nursing program and spend much of the schedule in labs and clinical rotations with local providers, with financial aid and scholarships available for those who qualify. It is one of the faster private options within reasonable reach of Miami Beach.
Practical / Vocational Nursing Diploma Program — On-Campus
Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College
Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College is a public technical college in Miami Lakes whose practical nursing program runs 15 months at $6,366 in total tuition. The average net price after aid is about $2,839, among the lowest here, though the institution-wide graduation rate is 4.5% because that figure covers the entire campus rather than the nursing cohort. Rolling admissions, day and evening classes and an articulation pathway to Miami Dade College's RN program make it a sensible pick for Beach residents planning to keep advancing.
- 15-month practical nursing program, $6,366 total tuition
- TEAS entrance exam required; $20 application fee
- 675 clinical hours in local hospitals and healthcare facilities
- Day and evening classes with rolling admissions
- Articulation to the RN program at Miami Dade College
- Covers medical-surgical, obstetric, pediatric and geriatric nursing
- HOSA student organization open to enrolled students
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Miami Beach, North Miami Beach, and Mainland Miami: Where the Campuses Actually Sit
North Miami Beach is a separate mainland city roughly 12 miles from South Beach, not a neighborhood on the barrier island, and almost no approved practical nursing campuses sit within Miami Beach itself. Students starting from 33139 should expect to commute across a causeway for nearly every in-person LPN class, lab, or clinical rotation.
The Barrier Island Reality
Miami Beach has medical employers and clinical sites, but the approved LPN campuses are on the mainland. Miami Dade College's Medical Campus, located at 950 Northwest 20th Street in Miami, is the central public option for the Miami Dade LPN program and sits about 7 to 10 miles from South Beach. Lindsey Hopkins Technical College is also in the Miami Medical District area at 750 NW 20th Street. North Miami Beach has a few private nursing-school listings along Northeast 163rd Street and North Miami Beach Boulevard, but program approval and LPN-specific offerings vary, so verify status before applying.
Drive Times and Transit From 33139
In normal traffic, the drive from 33139 to the Medical Campus takes 20 to 30 minutes, but rush-hour causeway congestion, weather, and South Beach events can push it past 30 minutes. North Miami Beach-area campuses run 13 to 17 miles and typically take 25 to 40 minutes by car. Public transit combines a Metrobus causeway crossing over the MacArthur or Julia Tuttle with mainland transfers; expect 40 minutes to over an hour to the Medical Campus, and longer to Miami Lakes, Robert Morgan, or South Dade campuses. Metrorail helps only if the campus sits near a station, and many technical colleges still require a bus connection.
Where Campuses Actually Cluster
Readers should expand the search beyond 33139 to mainland Miami, Hialeah, North Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, and Homestead. Public technical college options among accredited LPN schools in Florida include Lindsey Hopkins, Miami Lakes Educational Center, Robert Morgan Educational Center, and South Dade Technical College. D.A. Dorsey Technical College also lists practical nursing in some directories, though current open-cohort availability can vary by term.
Commute and Parking Factors
Full-time LPN students on a clock-hour schedule should treat the causeway as a scheduling variable, not just a commute. Parking at some campuses can be expensive or limited, especially in the Medical District, so budget extra time for garage or street parking searches. Clinical sites may also move you away from the home campus, making a car the most predictable option for many South Florida rotations.
What Practical Nursing Training Costs Around Miami Beach
Public technical college or private career institute: that single decision swings the price of an LPN credential in South Florida by more than $20,000, and it is the first fork most applicants hit.
Where the Numbers Land
On the public side, Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College posts an average net price of about $2,839 after aid. Miami Dade College lists in-state tuition and fees at $2,838 (out-of-state $9,661) with an average net price near $5,463. Lindsey Hopkins Technical College comes in around $6,243, Sheridan Technical College in Hollywood at $6,677, William T McFatter Technical College at $11,901, and Robert Morgan Educational Center at $12,776.
Private and hospital-based options run higher: HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing averages $9,109, Florida Academy of Nursing in Miramar $10,054, Florida National University $23,043 against $17,368 in listed tuition, and Concorde Career Institute-Miramar $27,673.
The Borrowing Side
Sticker price is only half the picture. Miami Dade College graduates carry a median debt near $9,252 and Concorde graduates about $9,933, while Florida National University sits far higher at roughly $27,554. Debt figures broken out specifically for the practical nursing program, along with typical monthly payment amounts, are not yet published for these schools, so read these as campus-wide medians across all credentials.
Net price works the same way: it is an institution-wide average after grants and scholarships, not a quote for your seat. Clock-hour programs also bill differently. Robert Morgan lists in-state tuition at $2.56 per clock hour, and McFatter separates $3,780 in tuition from a $6,525 total resident program cost.
Costs That Never Appear on the Tuition Page
- Gear: uniforms, nursing shoes, a stethoscope, and a blood pressure cuff.
- Clearance: Florida Level 2 background screening with fingerprinting, plus a drug screen.
- Health records: immunizations, titers, TB testing, and CPR certification.
- Licensure: the NCLEX-PN examination fee and the Florida Board of Nursing application fee.
- Applying: modest school fees, such as $20 at Miami Lakes and Lindsey Hopkins or $15 at Robert Morgan.
A practical rule: Pell and state aid typically close maybe a third of the gap between a public technical college and a private institute, not the whole thing. Apply to at least one public program even if a private start date looks sooner.
Program Length, Evening Cohorts, and the Truth About 'Online' LPN Training
Most LPN programs in the Miami area are built around Florida’s required 1,350 clock-hour curriculum, with 675 of those hours reserved for supervised clinical training. Full-time students generally complete the program in 12 to 15 months, but part-time options are not widely advertised in the Miami area. If you need to keep a job, evening and day cohorts are your strongest scheduling lever. For example, the Miami Lakes LPN program at Miami Lakes Educational Center & Technical College runs 15 months and advertises in-person day and evening sessions. Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology also schedules day and evening sessions. Dade Institute of Technology breaks the same 1,350 total hours into roughly 600 theory hours, with the remainder in lab and clinical work.
Miami Dade College packages the 1,350 hours as a 45-credit Career Technical Certificate and lists a 12- to 15-month full-time pace. The college currently reports in-person delivery; any hybrid option is unconfirmed, so verify the schedule before relying on an online component. The truth about online LPN training is straightforward: no initial Florida LPN program can be fully online because the required 675 clinical hours must be completed in person. Schools may call the classroom portion hybrid, but you will still attend labs and clinical sites. Licensed practical nurses looking for a more flexible next step can explore LPN to RN in Florida options, but for initial licensure, plan for in-person attendance.
Related Articles
From First Application to Florida LPN License
The distance between filling out an application and holding a Florida practical nursing license is longer than most applicants expect, and almost none of the delay comes from the NCLEX-PN itself. Here is the realistic sequence, with time estimates attached so you can see where the months actually go.
Free, Funded, and Self-Paid: Comparing the Ways South Florida Students Cover Tuition
Search "free LPN programs in Miami Beach FL" and you will get a mix of three very different things: genuinely tuition-free scholarship seats, government-funded vouchers that pay the school directly, and employer money that arrives with a signed work commitment attached. They are not interchangeable. Pell Grants and federal loans carry the majority of practical nursing students across South Florida, which tells you how aid-dependent these cohorts are, so the smart move is to stack the free money first and borrow only for what is left.
| Funding Route | What It Typically Covers | Who Qualifies | Strings Attached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pell-supported enrollment at a public technical college or state college | Federal Pell Grant applied against the in-state tuition rate; remaining balance paid out of pocket or with federal loans | Students who file the FAFSA and demonstrate financial need; award size scales with household income and enrollment intensity | Pell rarely covers a full practical nursing program on its own. Expect to budget separately for books, uniforms, background screening, and the NCLEX-PN application |
| Private institute paid with federal loans | Tuition, fees, and often a bundled kit, financed through Direct Loans and any institutional payment plan | Any admitted student who completes the FAFSA and meets loan eligibility; credit-based options exist for parents or co-signers | Debt is repaid regardless of whether you pass the NCLEX-PN or finish the program. Private per-credit rates are usually the highest of the four routes |
| CareerSource South Florida / WIOA-funded training | If approved, training, books, and exam costs are covered at no cost to the student, and some cases include exam vouchers or a laptop; the approved school is paid directly | Eligible individuals, particularly unemployed or dislocated workers, who apply through a local CareerSource office and choose an approved training provider | The school must appear on the CareerSource South Florida approved provider list (public districts such as Miami-Dade County Public Schools and private vocational schools can qualify). Practical nursing must be on the in-demand occupation list, and income and eligibility screening applies. A voucher is never guaranteed |
| Scholarship route that is genuinely tuition-free (example: UpSkill Miami) | Free tuition, books, fees, uniform, and a stipend, applied at the in-state tuition rate after other resources are used | Miami-Dade County residents with a high school diploma or GED, a current FAFSA on file, documented financial need, and a 2.5 cumulative GPA | Mandatory orientation attendance, program-specific requirements, and residency proof. Because funds apply after other aid, you still need the FAFSA even though the seat is free |
| Employer- or hospital-sponsored training with a service commitment | Substantial sponsored funding; the VITAS Healthcare LPN scholarship, for example, represents a 40,000 dollar investment in nursing students | Nursing students pursuing an LPN credential who apply for financial aid and meet the sponsor's application requirements | This is subsidized, not free. VITAS recipients submit a hospice-related essay and commit to two years of employment with the company after licensure |
| Outside nursing scholarships and college foundation awards | Partial awards applied toward tuition or fees; amounts vary widely by sponsor | Varies by award. Some are open to LPN certificate students broadly (such as the AAUW Manatee County Sylvia Price and Dr. Sidney Davidson nursing scholarships), while college foundation awards are often restricted | Many are geographically restricted. The Florida Gateway College practical nursing award, for instance, requires residency in its own service area, a FAFSA on file, a 2.5 GPA, and 12 or more credits, so Miami-Dade students should confirm eligibility before investing time in an application |
LPN Pay Across the Miami Metro and Who Is Hiring Near the Beach
What does an LPN actually take home in the Miami area, and does working near Miami Beach pay any differently than working inland? The federal government's latest wage survey (May 2023, still the most current published figures as of this year) puts the average LPN wage in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro at $28.05 an hour, or about $58,350 a year. That trails the national average of $29.23 an hour ($60,790 annually) by a modest margin. The underlying federal dataset includes full percentile breakdowns (10th, 25th, 75th, 90th), but they weren't cleanly accessible for this write-up; treat any specific "top earner" number you see elsewhere with caution until you verify it against the primary source.
Who's actually hiring
The metro employs roughly 8,600 LPNs, and the bulk of new LPN & LVN jobs land in a handful of settings: skilled nursing and rehab facilities, assisted living communities, home health agencies, and hospital systems that serve both the mainland and the barrier island. Miami Beach itself skews heavily toward assisted living and home health rather than acute care. There's no large general hospital on the island proper, so LPNs living in Miami Beach who want hospital-based experience typically commute to mainland Miami, while those who prefer to stay local often find steady work in senior care or private-duty home health instead.
Moving above the median
Base pay is only part of the picture. Night and weekend shift differentials are common at skilled nursing facilities, and per-diem, agency, or travel LPN work , filling short-term gaps at multiple facilities , lets experienced LPNs push their effective hourly rate well above the metro average. It's less predictable than a staff position, but for nurses willing to trade schedule stability for flexibility, it's a realistic path to outearning the typical local wage.
Prerequisites, Screening, and Cohort Deadlines for 2027
Practical nursing admissions around Miami Beach are competitive but predictable. Most of the paperwork falls into four buckets: basic eligibility, an entrance exam, health and background clearance, and orientation. Here is what the area's largest programs actually ask for in the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Age and academic credentialMiami Dade College's LPN program requires applicants to be 18 by the time they enroll and to hold a high school diploma or GED earned by that same point. FVI School of Nursing sets a lower floor at 17, with parent or guardian consent required for anyone under 18, plus a high school diploma or equivalent. If your secondary schooling was completed outside the U.S., FVI requires an evaluation from a NACES-approved agency.
- Entrance exam and cut scoresCut scores are program-specific, so check the number against the school you are applying to. MDC uses the ATI TEAS and expects a composite above 58% for the practical nursing track. Broward-Miami Health Institute sets its practical nursing threshold at 50% overall with at least 50% in both Reading and Math; results must be less than two years old, attempts must be spaced 30 days apart, and you may test no more than four times in a calendar year. Budget for retakes in your timeline rather than assuming one sitting.
- Basic skills testing and when it is waivedMDC applies a TABE minimum of 11 in all areas, but only in specific circumstances: foreign high school credentials, or a diploma earned before 2007. Completing MDC's ENC1101 waives the requirement entirely. Confirm which category you fall into before paying for a test you do not need.
- Level 2 background screening and drug testingExpect a Level 2 background screening with fingerprinting submitted through AHCA's online system, and it must be cleared before you start classes, not during the first term. A drug screen is also required. Clinical placement hinges on both, so a delay here can push you to a later cohort.
- Health documentation and CPRPrograms require a physical, immunization records including titers, TB testing, Hepatitis B and Tdap documentation, and current CPR/BLS certification. MDC specifies American Heart Association-issued BLS that stays valid through the entire program length, count the months before you certify, because an expiring card mid-program means recertifying on your own time.
- Mandatory orientationMDC requires a three-day Nursing Orientation and Boot Camp before the program begins. It is not optional and not remote-friendly. Arrange time off work for it as soon as you receive an acceptance.
- Application windows and cohort startsWe could not verify published 2026-2027 application deadlines or cohort start months for MDC's LPN program, the Miami-Dade district technical colleges, or the private practical nursing schools in the area. MDC currently lists its application deadline as "contact school directly," and FVI admits through an admissions interview rather than a fixed date. Call the nursing admissions office and ask for the specific cohort calendar in writing.
- Waitlists and how early to applyBecause start dates are not publicly posted for most Miami-area practical nursing programs, the safest approach is to begin the process six to nine months before your target start. Background screening, immunization catch-up, and TEAS retakes each add weeks, and a completed file sitting ready is what moves you off a waitlist when a seat opens. Ask each program directly whether it maintains a waitlist and how seats are released.
