NCLEX-PN pass rates among New York practical nursing programs, including New York’s BOCES LPN Programs, ranged from 65% to 100% in recent testing cycles, a spread wide enough to separate schools that reliably produce licensed nurses from those where a third of graduates must retest. That variance matters because New York's demand for LPNs remains strong: New York City health systems, upstate long-term care facilities, and suburban clinics all post openings year-round, yet each employer expects a valid license on day one.
Choosing a program involves balancing cost, pace, location, and outcome data. Tuition can run under $5,000 at certain SUNY campuses or exceed $20,000 at private vocational schools, while program length spans 10 months to nearly two years depending on scheduling format. The state licenses roughly 4,000 new LPNs annually, and bridge pathways to RN credentials have expanded across CUNY and community college systems.
Best LPN Programs in New York: Ranked by NCLEX-PN Pass Rate
The programs below are listed by NCLEX-PN performance over the most recent reporting window, and every one of them is approved to prepare candidates for LPN licensure in New York. Cohort sizes run from a few dozen test takers to more than three hundred, and the structure of each program, whether a single ten-month year or a four-semester college sequence, shapes who it fits best.
How we ranked these
- Graduation and completion rates
- NCLEX-PN first-time pass rates
- Accreditation and state approval
- Net price and student costs
- Program length and scheduling options
- NCLEX first-time pass rates published by the state boards of nursing — ncsbn.org
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering retention rates, student-faculty ratios and net price — nces.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
Rockland County BOCES-Practical Nursing Program
Rockland County BOCES runs its practical nursing program through the district's adult education division in West Nyack, a public option for students who want to train in the lower Hudson Valley. The credential is a certificate or diploma rather than a college degree, and it prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN and New York LPN licensure. Cohort sizes are modest, which keeps classroom and clinical groups small.
- Certificate or diploma level credential in practical nursing
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 95.7 percent across 76 test takers
- Delivered through the district's adult education division
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing
Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing is a hospital-based nursing school in Troy that has trained nurses for the Capital Region for generations. Its Practical Nurse Certificate takes about a year, awards college credits, and runs at a 1:3 theory-to-clinical ratio, with graduates eligible for advanced placement into associate degree nursing programs. A new evening and weekend option opens in Fall 2026, and the school has expanded with a satellite site in Schenectady.
- ACEN accredited practical nurse certificate
- 37 total credit hours
- 1:3 theory-to-clinical ratio
- College credit awarded for practical nursing courses
- Advanced placement into an associate degree nursing program
- New evening and weekend option beginning Fall 2026
- Application deadline May 15 for the August start
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 97.1 percent across 42 test takers
Practical Nurse Certificate — On-Campus
Broome Delaware Tioga BOCES-Practical Nursing Program
Broome Delaware Tioga BOCES serves New York's Southern Tier from its Endicott campus, combining classroom instruction with clinical rotations in local hospitals and long-term care settings. Students choose between a full-time, ten-month daytime track and a part-time, twenty-month evening track with weekend clinicals, and tuition includes textbooks and supplies. The school reports strong placement outcomes for graduates, who work in clinics, hospitals, and long-term care.
- 1,208 clock hours of classroom and clinical instruction
- Full-time ten-month track or part-time twenty-month track
- $17,532 total program tuition, including textbooks and supplies
- Evening classes and alternating weekend clinicals for part-time students
- ATI TEAS entrance exam, references, and interview required
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 94.1 percent across 163 test takers
- School reports 100 percent job placement for graduates
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Clinton Essex Warren Washington BOCES
Clinton Essex Warren Washington BOCES, also known as Champlain Valley Educational Services, provides career and technical training across New York's North Country, with the practical nursing program based in Plattsburgh. It is a certificate-level credential approved for LPN licensure in New York, and it draws students from several surrounding counties. For many students in that part of the state, it is the local route into practical nursing.
- Certificate or diploma level credential in practical nursing
- Serves Clinton, Essex, Warren, and Washington counties
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 92.8 percent across 50 test takers
Practical Nursing (LPN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Dutchess BOCES-Practical Nursing Program
Dutchess BOCES offers an adult practical nursing program in Poughkeepsie for students from across the mid-Hudson Valley. It is a certificate-level credential that prepares graduates for the NCLEX-PN and for LPN licensure in New York. The program enrolls a sizable cohort each year relative to other public practical nursing options in the region.
- Certificate-level adult practical nursing program
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 94.1 percent across 139 test takers
Adult Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Cayuga Onondaga BOCES-Practical Nursing Program
Cayuga Onondaga BOCES trains practical nurses in Auburn, New York, with a curriculum that spreads about 1,210 hours across theory, lab, and clinical practice. Students progress from basic care in local nursing homes to acute care at Auburn Community Hospital, and classes run Tuesday through Friday from August through July. The program is approved by the New York State Education Department, and graduates work in hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, urgent care clinics, and physician offices.
- 11-month, 1,210-hour program
- 606 theory hours, 101 lab hours, and 504 clinical hours
- Clinical rotations at Auburn Community Hospital and local nursing homes
- Classes Tuesday through Friday, August through July
- TEAS entrance exam and three letters of recommendation required
- Fall cohort applications due May 22, 2026
- Approved by the New York State Education Department
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 92.3 percent across 78 test takers
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Niagara County Community College
SUNY Niagara's practical nursing certificate is a four-semester sequence that includes summer sessions, with clinical experiences at hospitals, health care facilities, and community agencies across Western New York. The program is designed as a one-plus-one pathway, so students can finish the certificate and sit for the NCLEX-PN or continue into the college's associate degree in nursing. As a public SUNY campus, it offers in-state tuition rates to New York residents.
- Four-semester certificate including summer sessions
- In-person biology lab requirement
- Clinical placements across Niagara, Erie, and Orleans counties
- One-plus-one pathway to an AAS in nursing
- School reports 90 percent job placement
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 94.2 percent across 32 test takers
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing
Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing is a Rochester school offering a certificate-level practical nursing program for students in the Finger Lakes region. Its cohorts are large, making it one of the bigger sources of LPN candidates in upstate New York, and graduates move into area hospitals and long-term care employers.
- Certificate-level practical nursing program
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 90.8 percent
- 305 test takers over the three-year reporting window
Practical Nursing Certificate Program — On-Campus
Suffolk County Community College
Suffolk County Community College educates practical nurses through the Jane F. Shearer School of Nursing, with clinical partnerships at hospitals and health agencies across Long Island. The ACEN-accredited certificate also serves as a stepping stone into the college's Advanced Placement RN program. A state workforce grant awarded in 2025 is expected to cover tuition for practical nursing students beginning in Fall 2026, and Suffolk County residents receive admissions preference over applicants from other counties.
- ACEN accredited practical nursing certificate
- Part of the Jane F. Shearer School of Nursing
- Clinical partnerships with agencies across Suffolk County
- Pathway to the Advanced Placement RN program
- Suffolk County residents receive admissions preference
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 93.5 percent across 275 test takers
Practical Nursing Certificate — On-Campus
Transitions Career Institute School of Nursing
Transitions Career Institute is a private nursing school in College Point, Queens, that focuses on moving adults into practical nursing without a long college sequence. The program runs about one year of full-time study with 1,300 instructional hours, and it builds an ATI NCLEX review and career development classes into the curriculum. Day and evening schedules are available, and the school assists students with loans.
- About one year of full-time study
- 1,300 instructional hours
- $25,000 total program tuition and a $100 application fee
- Day classes Monday through Thursday, evening classes Monday through Friday
- ATI NCLEX review program included
- TEAS entrance exam required
- Three-year NCLEX-PN pass rate of 90.8 percent across 219 test takers
Practical Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Most Affordable LPN Programs in New York
The net prices below reflect institution-wide averages after financial aid, not a guaranteed quote for every LPN student. Your actual cost will depend on residency status, credit load, and the aid you receive. New York offers several paths to reduce or eliminate tuition entirely. Eligible 1199SEIU members can access up to $11,000 in tuition reimbursement through the Training and Upgrading Fund, or apply for the Career Pathways Training program, which covers tuition, books, and fees at no cost in exchange for a three-year service commitment at a qualifying healthcare employer. The state's Caring Gene initiative also offers free tuition for LPN students who commit to working three years where at least 30 percent of patients are covered by Medicaid; seats are still available but the program requires graduation by spring 2027. To stretch your dollar further: file your FAFSA early and ask your school's financial aid office whether the program qualifies for Pell Grant funding, check whether you are eligible for a union training benefit before paying out of pocket, and ask your current employer about tuition reimbursement programs, which are common across hospitals and long-term care facilities in New York.
| School | City | Net Price (Avg. After Aid) | In-State Tuition | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Bronx Community College | Bronx | $4,462 | $5,206 | Public |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | New York | $4,976 | $5,170 | Public |
| Suffolk County Community College | Selden | $5,258 | $6,630 | Public |
| CUNY Hostos Community College | Bronx | $5,297 | $5,254 | Public |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | Brooklyn | $5,718 | $7,352 | Public |
Fastest LPN Programs in New York
If you are searching for a fast track LPN program in New York, the quickest legitimate options clock in at roughly 10 to 12 months of full-time, daytime study. Despite what some ads suggest, there is no NYSED-approved 6 month LPN program in NYC or elsewhere in the state. New York's State Education Department mandates a minimum number of clinical and classroom hours that simply cannot be compressed below about 10 months of full-time enrollment. Part-time, evening, or weekend schedules do exist at some BOCES adult education centers and community colleges, but those tracks typically stretch to 12 to 18 months or longer.
| School | Location | Approximate Duration | Schedule / Format | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College | Long Island City, NY | 10 months | Full-time day | 48-credit practical nursing certificate; one of the shortest NYSED-approved programs in the NYC area |
| CUNY Hostos Community College | Bronx, NY | 12 months | Full-time day | NYSED-accredited LPN certificate completable within one calendar year; TEAS entrance exam required; prepares for NCLEX-PN |
| Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing | Troy, NY | 12 months | Full-time day | 37 total program credits with a 1:3 theory-to-clinical ratio; classes start each August; application deadline May 15 |
| Monroe Community College | Rochester, NY | 12 months | Full-time day | 1,100 total program hours; cohort-based structure at MCC Downtown Campus; ATI Launch prep course included |
| SUNY Canton | Canton, NY | 12 months | Full-time (clinical hours may include evenings and weekends) | ACEN-accredited; clinical placements across Northern New York; graduates eligible for NCLEX-PN |
Explore other New York related topics
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How We Ranked These New York LPN Schools
Some rankings lean on reputation surveys or self-reported satisfaction scores. Ours leans on outcomes, specifically whether graduates pass the NCLEX-PN and become licensed, the central step in How to Become an LPN. That single distinction shapes everything below.
The Weighting Behind Each Score
NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate accounts for roughly three-quarters of a program's composite score. The remaining weight splits between accreditation status and completion or retention rate, which together signal whether a program keeps students enrolled and meets external quality benchmarks. A school can have excellent facilities and a loyal following, but if its graduates struggle on licensing exams, that program will not rank near the top of this list.
Smoothing Out Small-Cohort Noise
A single graduating class of a dozen students can swing a pass rate by 20 points in either direction, which distorts year-over-year comparisons. To correct for that, we used a three-year takers-weighted average, giving more statistical weight to years with larger cohorts and less to outlier semesters. This produces a steadier, more honest picture of how a program performs over time rather than rewarding a lucky year.
Where the Numbers Come From
Pass-rate data comes from New York State Education Department reporting, cross-referenced against federal education data collected through IPEDS and verified against current program accreditation databases. Where records conflicted or were incomplete, we excluded the program rather than estimate.
What This Ranking Doesn't Capture
Clinical site quality, day-to-day student satisfaction, and schedule flexibility all matter to someone choosing a program, but none of these are tracked or reported consistently enough across New York schools to compare fairly. We'd rather leave them out than fabricate a metric. Most sites covering LPN programs in New York don't explain the LVN/LPN Programs Ranking Methodology at all. We think you deserve to know exactly what's being measured and why.
What It Takes to Get Your LPN License in New York
New York's LPN licensure process is managed entirely by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions. The path from program completion to active license involves a clear sequence of steps, though exact processing times depend on how quickly you submit documents and schedule your exam.
LPN Pay Across New York: NYC, Buffalo, Albany, and Beyond
New York's statewide median annual wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses stands at $67,180, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure sits well above the national median for the occupation and reflects the state's higher cost of living, particularly in the New York City metro area. While metro-level breakdowns for specific regions such as Buffalo, Albany, Rochester, and Syracuse are published in the BLS May 2024 OEWS release, program-level early-career earnings reported through federal sources can serve as a useful cross-check. New graduates should expect starting salaries closer to the 25th percentile ($61,400 statewide) during their first year, with pay climbing as experience and certifications accumulate. Keep in mind that the NYC metro premium, though significant on paper, is partly offset by housing, transit, and everyday expenses that rank among the highest in the country. Earning more does not always mean keeping more, so weigh regional cost of living carefully when choosing where to launch your career.
| Occupation | Statewide Employment | 25th Percentile Wage | Median Wage | 75th Percentile Wage | Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN/LVN) | 39,400 | $61,400 | $67,180 | $76,960 | $69,170 |
| Registered Nurses (for comparison) | 205,810 | $94,840 | $109,440 | $129,660 | $113,440 |
| Nursing Instructors, Postsecondary (for comparison) | 6,340 | $63,270 | $82,950 | $106,520 | $91,290 |
LPN-to-RN Bridge Options in New York
New York LPNs have several LPN to RN bridge options, but the state’s “BSN in 10” law shapes the long-term picture: nurses whose RN license was issued on or before June 18, 2020, must complete a BSN within 10 years. Many working LPNs choose a structured LPN to RN Bridge Programs path at a public college before moving into an RN-to-BSN completion later.
Kingsborough Community College offers one of the more generous transfer bridges: admitted LPNs with active licensure can receive 17 advanced-standing credits, as long as they complete ENG 1200, PSY 1100, BIO 1100, and SCI 2500 with at least a C. The nursing sequence then runs three semesters. AMG School of Nursing offers up to 35 advanced-standing credits. Dutchess Community College keeps its bridge course compact at 2 credits, with BIO 131 and BIO 132 as the only prerequisites and a C minimum. LaGuardia Community College structures its bridge course at 3 credits.
Helene Fuld College of Nursing offers an 18-month LPN-to-RN track, while Monroe University runs a three-semester, full-time on-campus option in the Bronx and New Rochelle. St. Paul’s School of Nursing uses a hybrid format that can take 2, 3 years. SUNY Sullivan accepts LPN-to-RN applicants on October 1, March 1, and April 1.
For LPN-to-BSN programs elsewhere in New York, expect a 2.5, 3.0 GPA, 50, 60 prerequisite credits, the TEAS, and, at some schools, up to five years of work experience. Compare these requirements in the Best New York LPN to RN/BSN Programs 2026 guide, then review LPN Bridge Programs to see which structure fits your schedule.
