Waterford Charter Township offers few board-approved LPN classroom options inside 48328. Most residents commute 10 to 35 miles to Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Southfield, or Flint, while others compare Detroit LPN programs, with Oakland Community College and nearby career colleges carrying the load.
Legitimate Michigan practical nursing programs run roughly 12 to 18 months. Six-week CNA or phlebotomy certificates are not LPN licenses, and that timeline shapes choices as much as NCLEX-PN outcomes and total cost.
Applicants weigh a public community college pathway with Michigan Reconnect eligibility against private colleges with faster admission cycles. Jump straight to the program list →
Where Waterford LPNs Actually Work: Oakland County Employers and Scope of Practice
Most new LPN grads in Oakland County will not start their careers inside a hospital, and that is worth knowing before you enroll anywhere.
Who's Actually Hiring
Hospital systems in Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Clarkston, Rochester, and Southfield employ some LPNs, but Michigan hospitals lean heavily on RNs for bedside care. Listings like the PRN case-manager role at Select Specialty Hospital in Pontiac (48341) show LPNs mixed into specialty and case-management functions rather than core inpatient staffing. The steadier demand sits in long term care nursing, home health, and physician offices. Right in Waterford Township, Ciena Health Care's Regency at Waterford has posted for a Wound Care LPN. Nearby, Pioneer Health Care Management (Pontiac, 48342), Hope At Home Health Care (Rochester), AdvisaCare (West Bloomfield), Trinity Health at Home, and Freedom at Home (covering Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties) round out the home-health and skilled-nursing employer base most graduates actually land with.
What the Job Actually Involves
Under Michigan's Public Health Code, licensed practical nurse duties are narrower than an RN's by design: you practice under the supervision of an RN, physician, or dentist, delivering delegated care rather than independent care planning.1 You can administer medications, including Schedules II through V and single doses of methadone, and you may assist a physician with abortion procedures,2 but you cannot delegate tasks to or supervise other licensed or unlicensed staff.3 IV therapy and more complex clinical judgment calls typically stay with RNs. Know this going in: it shapes your ceiling as much as your first job title.
Demand Signals to Watch
Job boards covering Oakland County show a steady, if uneven, flow of LPN postings across home health, hospice LPN roles, and long-term care in 2025 and 2026, including roles from Trinity Health at Home and Beaumont Home Health.4 That volume reflects real staffing pressure in Oakland County long-term care rather than hospital expansion, so plan your job search accordingly.
Are There 6-Month LPN Programs in Waterford? Program Length and Schedule Options
Prospective students often ask whether there are true 6-month LPN programs in Waterford. In Michigan, board-approved practical nursing programs typically require 900 to 1,500 clock hours and 40 to 70 credits, which makes a six-month timeline unrealistic for a first-time LPN. The Michigan Board of Nursing does not publish a single statewide clock-hour or clinical-hour minimum, but approved LPN programs in Michigan are campus-based, not self-paced online options.
A quick local check is important. Assist 1 Medical Center in Waterford is not Board-approved for LPN training, and Assist 1 Medical Staffing LLC at 1116 Voorheis Rd is a staffing and home health agency rather than a nursing education program. Enrolling in an unapproved course may not qualify you to sit for the NCLEX-PN, even if the advertised length is shorter.
For comparison, Pima Medical Institute in Aurora runs an LPN program of 48 weeks with 1,061 total clock hours, 656 classroom/lab hours plus 405 clinical hours. That clinical component is about 38% of the program. Hondros College of Nursing's diploma requires 48 quarter credits and 670 total hours, with 360 theory hours, 160 lab hours, and 150 clinical hours.
These figures show that even the fastest LPN programs take well beyond six months when they are Board-approved. If you see shorter timelines advertised around Waterford, verify the provider’s approval status before paying tuition. Michigan Board-approved PN programs are listed as campus-based, so students considering hybrid LPN programs should confirm how much of the coursework is actually online versus in person. Schedule options follow campus terms, and evening or weekend clinical rotations can extend total program length rather than compress it. Ask the program directly for its Board-approved list entry and total clinical hours.
Board-Approved Practical Nursing Programs Within 40 Miles of Waterford (48328)
Michigan requires that any practical nursing program you enroll in be approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing, which sits within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Graduating from an unapproved program means you cannot sit for the NCLEX-PN in Michigan, so this is the first filter to apply before you compare tuition or schedules. The programs below appear on LARA's approved program lists and operate campuses within roughly 40 miles of Waterford. Note that the Board's lists confirm approval status and campus location but do not publish day, evening, or weekend schedule details, so verify the cohort format directly with each school before you apply.
| Program / Institution | Campus City | Approx. Miles from 48328 | Michigan Board Approval Status | Schedule Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abcott Institute, Practical Nurse Program | Southfield | ~15 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (November 2023) and carried forward on later updates unless removed | Not specified on the Board list; proprietary program with structured classroom and clinical hours. Confirm full-time or part-time format with the school. |
| Serenity Health Training Institute, Practical Nurse Program | Southfield | ~15 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (November 2023); presumed active unless removed from a later list | Not specified on the Board list; proprietary program with scheduled classroom and clinical hours. Day or evening format not stated. |
| Dorsey College, Practical Nurse Program | Madison Heights | ~16 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (2026) | Not specified on the Board list; cohort-based practical nursing schedule. Confirm start dates and class times with the campus. |
| Dorsey College, Practical Nurse Program | Roseville | ~28 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (2026) | Not specified on the Board list; cohort-based practical nursing schedule. Exact day or evening format not provided. |
| Macomb Community College, Practical Nursing Program | Mt. Clemens (Garfield Road campus, Macomb County) | ~30 miles | Listed among Michigan Board of Nursing approved nursing education programs | Not specified in the Board document; community college program following a traditional academic calendar. Exact day or evening pattern not provided. |
| Dorsey College, Practical Nurse Program | Wayne | ~33 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (2026) | Not specified on the Board list; structured practical nursing schedule. Specific day or evening information not provided. |
| Detroit Business Institute-Downriver, Practical Nurse Program | Riverview | ~38 miles | Listed on the Michigan Board of Nursing approved practical nursing programs list (November 2023) | Not specified on the Board list; proprietary program with a structured schedule. Full-time, part-time, or evening format not given. |
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Total Cost of a Waterford-Area LPN Program: Tuition Plus the Fees Nobody Quotes
Tuition is the number programs advertise, but it is rarely the number you actually write checks for. Between licensure fees, background checks, health clearances, uniforms, and the testing packages most practical nursing programs now build into the curriculum, Waterford-area students should plan for several hundred dollars in non-tuition costs on top of whatever the program catalog lists. The figures below reflect what Michigan licensure actually costs in 2026 plus typical ranges for program-required items; the items marked variable are genuinely variable, because neither the state nor local program sheets publish a uniform amount.
| Cost Item | Typical Cost (Waterford Area) | When You Pay It |
|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-PN exam fee (Pearson VUE) | $200 | At NCLEX registration, near the end of your program |
| Michigan LPN license by examination (application plus first two-year license) | $212.90 | At initial licensure application through LARA |
| Fingerprinting and criminal background check | About $60, varies by Live Scan vendor | At initial licensure application |
| Combined Michigan initial licensure package (application, exam, fingerprinting) | Roughly $303 total | Spread across your final term and NCLEX registration |
| Required immunizations and physical exam | Variable; depends on your provider and existing immunity | Before clinical placement begins |
| Uniforms and clinical shoes | $100 to $200 | Before the first clinical rotation |
| Textbooks and testing/remediation packages (ATI, HESI, or Kaplan) | Variable; often bundled into program fees rather than itemized | At the start of each term or as a one-time program fee |
| CPR certification (BLS for healthcare providers) | $40 to $75 | Before clinical placement, renewed every two years |
| Student liability insurance | $15 to $40 per year | At enrollment or before clinicals, if the program or clinical site requires it |
| Michigan LPN license renewal | $131.00 | Every two years after your initial license term |
| NCLEX international scheduling fee | $150 (only if you test outside the United States) | At NCLEX registration, if applicable |
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates and Completion Outcomes at Local Programs
What's a good NCLEX-PN pass rate for a practical nursing program near Waterford, and how do local schools measure up? Michigan's statewide first-time pass rate has moved around in recent years: 80.38% in 2022, a high of 86.09% in 2023, 84.69% in 2024, and 84.22% in 2025. In 2023, U.S.-educated first-time candidates passed at 86.67%, while all candidates passed at 74.54%. Use these as your baseline when a program tells you its own number.
Why Program-Level Numbers Are Hard to Pin Down
Michigan's licensing board does publish program-by-program results annually, but the state's public summaries group candidates without clearly separating LPN programs from RN programs or naming individual schools in a way that lets you match a number to a specific Waterford-area program with confidence. That means the honest answer, right now, is that a clean county-by-county LPN comparison isn't publicly reconstructable from what the state releases. Call the program directly and ask for its most recent NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate in writing.
Reading a Small Cohort Honestly
A program that graduates 12 students a year and posts a 91% pass rate sounds impressive, but one failed exam swings that number by roughly eight points. A program graduating 60 students a year is statistically sturdier. Always ask how many test-takers sat for the exam behind any percentage you're quoted.
Where to Verify and What to Flag
Michigan's Board of Nursing publishes annual NCLEX summary reports, updated each year, and these are the authoritative source, not third-party ranking sites. If a program's trend line sits meaningfully below the statewide first-time average across multiple years, raise it directly with the program director before enrolling. Note that the graduation rates in the program comparison table below reflect the whole college, not the practical nursing cohort specifically.
Admission Requirements and How Competitive Oakland Community College Is
Admission to Oakland Community College's nursing pathway is not open enrollment. It is a screened, selective LPN/LVN Program Admissions process that begins with required pre-admission steps before an application can move forward.
What OCC requires before you apply
The published process starts with a nursing information session and a counseling meeting. Prerequisite and supportive courses must each be completed with a B- or better, and biology courses must be current within a five-year window. Students must also take the HESI-A2 exam at the Auburn Hills campus, with a minimum score of 75 on each section in the same testing session. OCC allows only two attempts at the HESI. The current materials list November 22 as the application deadline, but they do not clearly state a separate HESI testing date for practical nursing applicants, so verify the exact cutoff with the nursing office.
How competitive is it really?
OCC does not report a single acceptance rate. Admission is selective, and the current materials do not describe a point-based worksheet or a separate ranked waitlist. For a Waterford applicant, that means stronger prerequisite grades and a solid HESI score matter far more than waiting on a list. Without a public cutoff or cohort start date, the realistic approach is to finish the pre-admission steps early and be prepared to reapply if the first cycle does not land.
Community college vs private training centers
Private practical nursing programs in the region often admit more quickly, with fewer prerequisite hurdles and rolling starts. That speed generally comes with higher tuition and narrower state and federal aid options. OCC's slower, criteria-driven route gives you more financial aid flexibility and a clearer transfer path to LPN to RN in Michigan, but it rewards planning ahead.
Universal gates for any Michigan LPN program
- Criminal background check: Required, including fingerprinting.
- Drug screen: Required as part of admission.
- Immunizations and TB records: Must be current.
- CPR certification: Required before clinicals.
- High school completion: Proof of graduation or equivalent is standard.
The single best competitiveness tactic is to finish prerequisites with the strongest possible grades and take the HESI early. Because OCC allows only two attempts, schedule the first test with enough time to retake within the same cycle if your score falls below 75 on any section.
From Program Completion to Your Michigan LPN License
Finishing your practical nursing program is only the first item on the list. Michigan licensure runs through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and the order of operations matters more than most new graduates expect. Work the sequence below in order.
Michigan LPN Licensing at a Glance
Paying for It: Michigan Reconnect, Pell, and Program-Level Aid
Community college certificate or private career training center: that choice shapes your LPN career path and financial aid picture more than any other factor. State grant money follows the institution, not the student, and Waterford-area applicants who pay a private deposit before checking this often discover the funding they counted on never applied.
Michigan Reconnect
Reconnect is a last-dollar grant covering in-district tuition and fees after other grants are applied. For the 2025-2026 year the minimum age is 25; for 2026-2027 the program opens to applicants 21 and older, contingent on state appropriations. You need at least one year of Michigan residency, a high school diploma or equivalent, and no prior associate or bachelor's degree. Once enrolled, you must carry at least 12 credits per year, hold a 2.0 GPA, and refile the FAFSA annually.
The critical limit: Reconnect applies at community and tribal colleges, to associate degrees and skills certificates in Pell-eligible programs. Practical nursing certificates at private training centers are generally not covered, even when the school itself participates in federal aid.
Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship
Younger applicants who finished high school in 2023 or later may qualify for the Skills Scholarship, currently listed at up to $4,000 across two years, with enrollment required within 15 months of high school completion. It does reach approved private training providers as well as colleges, and it does not hinge on Pell eligibility. But coverage depends on the specific program appearing on the state's approved career training list, and LPN programs are not automatically there. Verify by program name, not school name.
Pell, Employers, and Your Next Move
Federal Pell and student loans require the school to hold Title IV eligibility. Ask for the school's federal school code before any deposit; no code, no Pell.
Oakland County long-term care employers frequently fund staff education. Ask your nurse manager directly whether tuition assistance, sign-on bonuses, or CNA-to-LPN sponsorship exist, and what service commitment attaches.
File the FAFSA first. Then email the financial aid office and ask, in writing, which of these funds the program accepts.
LPN Programs Serving Waterford Students, Ranked
Below are the top LPN and practical nursing programs serving Waterford students, ranked by cost, institutional outcomes data, and program fit. Ten practical nursing options sit within roughly 40 miles of Waterford, ranging from a one-year private career college certificate to community college ladders that let you continue straight into an RN program. Every campus listed is within daily commuting range, though the drive stretches from about 25 miles to about 45.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt after completion
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Program cost and average net price
- Commute distance from Waterford
- Start dates and schedule flexibility
- 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
Abcott Institute
Abcott Institute is a private career college in Southfield whose Practical Nurse program is its health care flagship. The 12-month, 67-credit curriculum runs full time on a daytime schedule, pairing on-campus nursing labs with supervised clinical rotations at off-campus facilities, and faculty are Michigan-licensed registered nurses holding a BSN. Tuition and fees are not reported, the average net price after aid is $27,679, and the school reports an 83% institution-wide retention rate. Southfield is about 25 miles south of Waterford, an immediate Oakland County commute.
- About 12 months, 67 credit hours across 16 courses
- Approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing
- Accredited by the Council on Occupational Education
- ATI TEAS entrance exam required
- Full-time day schedule, roughly 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday
- On-site nursing labs plus off-campus clinical rotations
- Faculty are Michigan-licensed RNs holding a BSN
- National licensing exam fee included, with one-time reimbursement
Practical Nurse Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dorsey College
Dorsey College's Madison Heights campus anchors a five-campus Michigan practical nursing network, teaching the same one-year certificate at Wayne, Roseville, Woodhaven, and Saginaw. Campus-based coursework covers medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, medical math, and mental health concepts before moving into medical-surgical, maternal, newborn, pediatric, and geriatric nursing, with clinical placements across metropolitan Detroit and southeast Michigan. In-state tuition and fees are $16,990, the reported average net price after aid is $28,525, and the college reports a 54% institution-wide graduation rate with 51% retention. Madison Heights is roughly 25 miles southeast of Waterford, close enough for a daily I-75 commute.
- One-year certificate, completed in about 12 months
- Offered at five Michigan campuses including Madison Heights
- Listed by the college as accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Coursework in pharmacology, medical-surgical, maternal, newborn, pediatric, and geriatric nursing
- Hands-on clinical training with diverse patient populations
- Curriculum determined to meet Michigan licensure requirements only
- Career services available to completers
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Wayne County Community College District
Wayne County Community College District delivers its Practical Nursing certificate through a six-campus Detroit district, with the program based at the Ted Scott Campus and student support services available district-wide. The campus-based, 12-month, 40-credit certificate requires prerequisite coursework and a HESI entrance exam, and students train in a high-fidelity simulation lab before clinical rotations in urban and suburban long-term care, hospital, and community settings. In-state tuition and fees are $3,112, the reported average net price after aid is $7,656, and the college reports a 22% institution-wide graduation rate with 54% retention. Detroit is about 35 miles southeast of Waterford, and the district also runs an LPN-to-RN bridge for graduates who want to keep going.
- 12-month, 40-credit certificate
- ACEN accredited
- HESI entrance exam required
- Prerequisite courses required before admission
- Simulation lab with high-fidelity manikins
- Clinical experiences in urban and suburban settings
- Multi-Learning Lab tutoring and an early academic intervention program
- Graduation pinning ceremony and honors available
Practical Nursing Program, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Schoolcraft Community College District
Schoolcraft College awards its Practical Nursing certificate through a nursing career ladder curriculum rather than a stand-alone practical nursing intake. Students enter the nursing ladder, then elect the practical nursing option after the first year plus an advanced practical nursing course, with clinical sessions on day or afternoon shifts and two start terms a year, fall and winter. The program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and ACEN accredited; in-state tuition and fees are $4,736, the reported average net price after aid is $2,260, and the institution-wide graduation rate is 18%. Livonia is about 25 miles south of Waterford, just over the Oakland County line.
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing
- Two start terms per year, fall and winter
- Prerequisite courses required
- Clinical sessions on day or afternoon shifts
- Minimum grade of 80% required in nursing courses
- Criminal background check required
- Offered at the Livonia Main Campus
- Practical nursing option elected within the nursing ladder after year one
Nursing: Practical Certificate (PN) — On-Campus
Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College launched its Licensed Practical Nurse certificate in fall 2025 to meet metro Detroit demand, and selective admission gives extra consideration to applicants already working as CNAs. The one-year, full-time program pairs an on-campus simulation lab with clinical rotations, including a partnership with the Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility, and requires prerequisite courses, a minimum GPA, and assessment testing. In-state tuition and fees are $3,660, compared with $8,370 out of state, the reported average net price after aid is $1,618, and the college reports an 18% institution-wide graduation rate with 61% retention. Warren is roughly 30 miles southeast of Waterford, out toward Macomb County.
- Launched in fall 2025 as a one-year, full-time certificate
- Selective admission gives consideration to current CNAs
- Prerequisite courses, minimum GPA, and entrance assessment required
- On-campus simulation lab plus real-world clinical training
- Clinical partnership with Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility
- Estimated total program cost around $12,000 including fees, books, and testing
- Contact-hour tuition runs $113 for district residents and $212 for other Michigan residents
- Prepares graduates for the LPN board exam
Licensed Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dorsey College-Woodhaven
Woodhaven is an affiliate campus of Dorsey's Madison Heights main campus, serving the downriver Detroit corridor with the same one-year Practical Nurse certificate. Training is fully in person and campus-based at about 23 contact hours a week, covering medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, medical math, pharmacology, mental health concepts, and medical-surgical, maternal, newborn, pediatric, and geriatric nursing. In-state tuition and fees are $16,990, the reported average net price after aid is $30,698, and the institution-wide retention rate is 50%. Woodhaven is about 45 miles south of Waterford, the longest commute among the Dorsey campuses.
- Campus-based, fully in-person training at roughly 23 contact hours per week
- One-year certificate completed in about 12 months
- Covers anatomy, physiology, medical math, pharmacology, and mental health concepts
- Clinical rotations with diverse patient populations
- Listed by the college as accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Curriculum meets Michigan licensure requirements only
- Career services offered, though job placement is not guaranteed
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dorsey College-Wayne
Dorsey's Wayne campus is another affiliate of the Madison Heights main campus and also offers an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing for students who want to continue after the certificate. The one-year, campus-based Practical Nurse certificate covers medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, medical math, and nursing fundamentals, then moves into medical-surgical, maternal, newborn, pediatric, and geriatric care with an emphasis on critical thinking, patient education, and team nursing. In-state tuition and fees are $16,990, the reported average net price after aid is $31,930, and the institution-wide retention rate is 39%. Wayne is roughly 30 miles south of Waterford via I-275, in western Wayne County.
- One-year certificate, completed in about 12 months
- Affiliate campus of Dorsey's Madison Heights main campus
- Covers medical-surgical, maternal, newborn, pediatric, and geriatric nursing
- Emphasis on critical thinking, patient education, and team nursing
- Classroom instruction plus hands-on clinical training
- Listed by the college as accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
- Career services available for completers
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dorsey College-Roseville
Roseville is a Dorsey affiliate on Gratiot Avenue near the I-94 and I-696 interchange, and it is the most transit-reachable campus on this list thanks to the Gratiot bus line. The one-year Practical Nurse certificate follows the same curriculum the college lists as ACEN accredited, with didactic coursework plus hands-on clinical training, and most students finish about 11 months of contact time spread over roughly a year. In-state tuition and fees are $16,990, the reported average net price after aid is $29,232, and the college reports a 35% institution-wide graduation rate with 40% retention. Roseville is about 35 miles southeast of Waterford, out toward Macomb County.
- One-year certificate, about 11 months of contact time spread over 12 months
- Campus sits on Gratiot Avenue near I-94 and I-696, on the Gratiot bus line
- Affiliate campus of the Madison Heights main campus
- Hands-on clinical training plus NCLEX-PN preparation
- Coursework in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology
- Covers medical-surgical, maternal, pediatric, and geriatric nursing
- Meets Michigan licensure requirements
- Career services available for completers
Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Mott Community College
Mott Community College awards a Practical Nursing certificate that doubles as the first year of its Associate Degree Nursing pathway, so graduates can continue toward an RN without starting over. The curriculum pairs classroom theory with clinical experience in medical-surgical, family, and child nursing, and admission is competitive, requiring a 3.0 minimum GPA, HESI exam scores, prerequisite coursework, and a spot on the clinical eligibility list. In-state tuition and fees are $6,845, the reported average net price after aid is $5,687, and the college reports a 32% institution-wide graduation rate with 60% retention. Flint is about 40 miles north of Waterford on I-75, the farthest campus on this list.
- 41 total credit hours
- Also serves as the first year of the ADN pathway
- Minimum 3.0 GPA required
- HESI exam required for admission
- Fall and winter start terms
- Eligibility list used for clinical placement
- Criminal background check required
- Prepares graduates for NCLEX-PN licensure
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Detroit Business Institute-Downriver
Detroit Business Institute-Downriver offers a 61.5-quarter-credit Practical Nurse certificate that runs about a year and includes 1,155 hours of classroom, laboratory, and supervised clinical training. Admission requires an ATI TEAS assessment, a criminal background check, health screening, and AHA BLS certification, and the school places students in clinical rotations at local hospitals and nursing homes. The college's own listing describes the program as pending Michigan Board of Nursing approval with a tentative start in late fall 2026, so confirm the current status before applying; tuition is not reported and the average net price after aid is $17,687. The campus sits in Detroit, roughly 30 miles south of Waterford.
- 61.5 quarter credits completed in about one year
- 1,155 total hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical training
- ATI TEAS entrance assessment required
- AHA BLS certification and criminal background check required
- Clinical training in hospitals and clinics
- Michigan Board of Nursing approval pending
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-PN exam
Practical Nurse, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
After Your LPN: Bridge Pathways to RN in Oakland County
Oakland Community College runs one of the region's most established LPN-to-ADN bridge programs, and it's the reason so many Waterford practical nursing graduates treat their LPN license as a launch point rather than a destination. Nearby community colleges offer similar LPN to RN bridge programs, and regional universities including Oakland University and Madonna University accept LPN credentials into LPN-to-BSN sequences for students who want a bachelor's without repeating first-year nursing coursework.
How the Bridge Actually Shortens the Timeline
Most bridge programs grant advanced placement or credit-for-licensure that waives the fundamentals and basic clinical coursework LPN graduates already completed. What usually still has to be finished are the science prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, microbiology) if they're not already on file, plus an entrance exam and a competitive GPA. Ask any program directly which prerequisites transfer and which must be retaken.
Why the Math Favors Planning Ahead
RN roles in the Detroit metro carry broader scope of practice and a meaningful LPN to RN salary difference, which is the practical reason to map your bridge before you finish your LPN program rather than after.
Three Steps Before You Enroll in a Bridge Cohort
- Verify approval and outcomes: Confirm the bridge program carries current state board approval and check its NCLEX-RN pass rate.
- Get a written cost sheet: Request total cost, not just per-credit tuition, before committing.
- Confirm aid eligibility: Ask whether Reconnect, Pell, or employer tuition assistance applies to bridge coursework specifically.
