North Hollywood has exactly one vocational nursing campus inside city limits: Concorde Career College at 12412 Victory Boulevard, running a 13-month day track and a 20-month evening/weekend option. That single-school reality is misleading, though. Drive 30 minutes from the 91605 ZIP and the count jumps into the double digits, with BVNPT-approved programs in Van Nuys, Panorama City, Glendale, Burbank-adjacent corridors, and Sherman Oaks, all part of the LVN programs in Los Angeles area, feeding the same Valley hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
The spread is where it gets difficult. Tuition across these campuses runs from roughly $1,200 at a community college to $23,984 at a private career school, and completion timelines stretch from about 12 months to 20 months, as detailed in the Fastest LPN/LVN Programs of 2026 guide. Both numbers move independently of NCLEX-PN results.
LVN Programs Within Driving Distance of North Hollywood, Ranked
Below are the top LVN programs serving North Hollywood students, ranked by graduation outcomes, state approval status, and fit for local commuters. Every campus here sits within roughly 30 miles of the 91605 ZIP code, from a program located in North Hollywood itself to public college options in Pasadena and Glendora. Cost, schedule, and admission requirements vary widely, so weigh the details that match your situation.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt
- School-wide graduation rates
- Net price after grant aid
- State approval status
- Commuter and schedule fit
- Internal program database
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering graduation rates, student-faculty ratios and net price — nces.ed.gov
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Independent editorial research
Concorde Career College-North Hollywood
Concorde Career College's North Hollywood campus sits on Victory Boulevard with free parking and transit nearby, making it the only program in this group located inside North Hollywood itself. The vocational nursing diploma runs 13 months full time or 20 months on an evening and weekend track, and the school reports a campus-wide graduation rate near 78 percent with an average net price after aid of about $23,984 for full-time students. Clinical placements and community partnerships with organizations such as Valley Presbyterian Hospital's corporate circle and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association support local job connections. For students who want to train close to home while working, this campus is the most convenient starting point on the list.
- 13-month daytime diploma; 20-month evening and weekend option
- 198 lab hours and 757 clinical hours
- 66.5 credit hours covering fundamentals, anatomy, and pharmacology
- Approved by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
- NCLEX-PN review included in the curriculum
- Scholarship award equal to 15 percent of published tuition for qualifying full-time students
- Articulation agreements with Chamberlain, Grand Canyon, and Colorado Technical University
- Free campus parking with nearby transit access
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Homestead Schools
Homestead Schools is a private, single-campus institution in Torrance with a school-wide graduation rate above 90 percent, the highest among the private schools ranked here, and an average net price after aid of roughly $15,962. Instruction is entirely on campus with a 15 to 1 student-faculty ratio, and applicants must score 76 percent or higher on a preadmission test. Clinical preparation, tutoring, and NCLEX-PN review are built into the program. The South Bay location means a longer drive from North Hollywood, but the completion numbers and structured environment earn it a spot near the top.
- Campus-based vocational nursing program in Torrance
- Preadmission test score of 76 percent or higher required
- Background check, physical exam, immunizations, and CPR card required
- NCLEX-PN preparation built into the curriculum
- Tutoring program available and transfer credits accepted
- Financial aid and scholarship opportunities available
- Approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and the California BVNPT
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is the most affordable entry point on this list: as a public community college, in-state tuition runs about $1,180 a year and the average net price after aid is roughly $3,864. The Certificate of Achievement takes two semesters plus a summer intersession and includes supervised clinical practice in community settings, with applications accepted only from March 1 to April 1. Its school-wide graduation rate of about 48 percent reflects the entire college rather than the vocational nursing cohort. For applicants who can plan around the annual application window, the savings are substantial.
- Two semesters plus a summer intersession
- Certificate of Achievement awarded
- Supervised clinical practice in community settings
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-VN exam
- Approved by the California Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians
- Applications accepted March 1 through April 1 each year
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
National Career College
National Career College runs its vocational nursing diploma from a single campus in Panorama City, roughly 15 minutes north of North Hollywood on the 170. The 14-month program includes 842 clinical hours, 58.5 semester credit hours, and day and evening schedule options. Admission requires the TEAS exam and a personal interview, and the school-wide average net price after aid is about $27,850. California residents can apply Cal Grants toward the cost, which helps close the gap against the public college options.
- 14-month diploma program on a single Panorama City campus
- 842 clinical hours across hospitals, nursing facilities, and clinics
- 58.5 semester credit hours
- TEAS entrance exam and personal interview required
- Day and evening class schedules with small cohorts
- ABHES accredited and approved by the California Board of Vocational Nursing
- Cal Grants available to California residents
- Job placement support after graduation
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
American Career College-Los Angeles
American Career College's Los Angeles campus delivers a vocational nursing diploma in as little as 12 months, with an 18-month evening and weekend track for students who keep working. Training combines skills labs in medication administration, injections, wound care, and vital signs with more than 800 hours of clinical rotations at area healthcare facilities, plus electronic medical records practice. The school-wide average net price after aid is about $32,408, and financial aid and scholarships are available for eligible students. It suits North Hollywood commuters who are willing to drive into Los Angeles for a faster finish.
- Diploma completed in as little as 12 months
- 18-month evening and weekend option for working students
- More than 800 clinical hours at local healthcare facilities
- Skills labs cover medication administration, injections, and wound care
- Training in vital signs monitoring and electronic medical records
- Approved by the California BVNPT; financial aid and scholarships available
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Marian Health Careers Center-Van Nuys Campus
Marian Health Careers Center's Van Nuys campus is about six miles west of North Hollywood and offers an on-campus vocational nursing diploma with no online option. The weekday schedule finishes in roughly 14 months and the weekend schedule in about 18 months, and tuition and fees total about $38,000. The school-wide average net price after aid is about $28,791, and students must maintain a minimum grade of C in nursing coursework. Its Valley location and weekend track make it one of the more commuter-friendly private options.
- Weekday schedule finishes in about 14 months; weekend in about 18
- On-campus only, with no online courses
- Tuition and fees total about $38,000
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN
- Minimum grade of C required in nursing courses
- Clinical focus across hospitals, clinics, and long-term care
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Angeles Institute
Angeles Institute in Artesia compresses vocational nursing into about 11 months across four terms, the shortest schedule among the schools ranked here. Students train in small groups in a simulation lab, tuition includes books and uniforms, and the final term focuses on NCLEX preparation through HESI, resume building, and interview skills. The school-wide average net price after aid is about $23,817. The catch is distance, since Artesia is roughly 30 miles from North Hollywood, so plan on a long commute or a move.
- Four-term program completed in about 11 months
- Entrance exam required for admission
- Skills labs and a state-of-the-art simulation lab
- Tuition includes books and uniforms
- Final term covers NCLEX prep through HESI, resumes, and interviews
- Approved by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
- Tutoring and study coordination through student affairs
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Citrus College
Citrus College in Glendora is a public community college offering a vocational nursing Certificate of Achievement that pairs classroom theory with clinical rotations in local hospitals and clinics. In-state tuition runs about $1,104 a year and the average net price after aid is roughly $4,135, which puts it among the least expensive routes to licensure here. Coursework covers medical-surgical, pediatric, obstetric and gynecologic nursing, pharmacology, and nutrition, and the credits can count toward an associate degree. The school-wide graduation rate of about 41 percent describes the whole college, not the nursing program.
- Certificate of Achievement in vocational nursing
- Clinical rotations in local hospitals and clinics
- Coursework in medical-surgical, pediatric, obstetric, and gynecologic nursing
- Also covers pharmacology and nutrition
- Credits can apply toward an associate degree
- Prepares graduates for the NCLEX-VN exam
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
North-West College-West Covina
North-West College's West Covina campus offers a campus-based vocational nursing program with day and evening class options and supervised clinical experience. The curriculum covers nursing fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and medical-surgical nursing, and it prepares students for the NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-VN exams. The school-wide average net price after aid is about $30,332, and the college holds institutional accreditation through ACCSC. For North Hollywood applicants it is a cross-valley drive of roughly 25 miles, so schedule flexibility matters more than proximity.
- Campus-based program with day and evening classes
- Covers nursing fundamentals, anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology
- Medical-surgical, maternal, and child health nursing included
- Hands-on clinical experience with direct patient care
- Prepares students for the NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-VN exams
- Institutionally accredited by ACCSC
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Marian Health Careers Center-Los Angeles Campus
Marian Health Careers Center's Los Angeles campus teaches the same on-campus vocational nursing diploma as the Van Nuys location, with 1,534 clock hours spread over about 14 months on weekdays or 18 months on weekends. Tuition and fees run about $38,000, and the school-wide average net price after aid is about $31,374. Graduates earn a diploma and sit for the NCLEX-PN, and a minimum grade of C is required to stay in the program. Before enrolling with any school on this list, confirm its current approval status with the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, as covered in the licensing section below.
- 1,534 clock hours delivered on campus only
- Weekday schedule runs about 14 months; weekend about 18 months
- Tuition and fees total about $38,000
- Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN
- Minimum grade of C required to progress
- Clinical placements in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care
Vocational Nursing, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
The Scoring Behind This List: Approval, Price, and Who Finishes
Before a program earns a spot on this list, it has to survive a round of disqualifiers. No current approval from the state board, no published outcomes data, or a campus sitting outside the 30 mile radius from the 91605 zip code, and it's out. What's left is a shortlist built from four inputs, weighted so that the factors most likely to affect your license and your wallet carry the most weight.
The Four Inputs
- State board approval status: whether the program currently holds active BVNPT approval, a requirement for LVN programs in California, not just historical or pending status.
- Average net price after aid: what students actually pay once grants and scholarships are applied, not sticker tuition , the same filter that identifies the most affordable LPN/LVN programs.
- Completions volume: how many students are finishing the program each year, a rough proxy for stability and capacity.
- Post-completion earnings and debt: federal Scorecard data on what graduates earn and owe after leaving.
What the Numbers Don't Show
One caveat worth sitting with: published graduation rates are institution-wide, not specific to the vocational nursing cohort. A campus offering cosmetology, business, and nursing tracks reports one blended number, so it won't tell you how the LVN cohort specifically performed.
Use It as a Starting Point
Treat this ranking as a shortlist to verify, not a final answer. Call admissions, confirm current approval status yourself, and ask directly about cohort-specific completion and NCLEX-VN outcomes before you commit.
What LVN Training Actually Costs Around North Hollywood
Why does one LVN certificate within driving distance of North Hollywood land near $4,000 while another runs past $23,000? Because you are comparing two different funding models, not two different educations.
The Real Spread
Among the ranked programs, Pasadena City College carries the lowest average net price at roughly $3,864, with Citrus College close behind near $4,135 and Long Beach City College around $6,202. Move to the private career-college side and the figures climb: Integrity College of Health sits near $14,819, Homestead Schools near $15,962, Annenberg School of Nursing near $18,067, and Angeles Institute near $23,817. Downey Adult School publishes a total program tuition of $17,999 including books and administrative fees.
Published Tuition vs. Net Price
Those community college sticker prices look tiny (Pasadena lists $1,180 in-district) because California enrollment fees are per-unit and exclude books, uniforms, background checks, immunizations, and NCLEX-VN fees. Net price closes part of that gap by subtracting typical grant aid, but it is an institution-wide average across all students, not a quote for a vocational nursing cohort. Treat it as a range-finder and ask each program's financial aid office for a program-specific cost sheet.
Median debt at completion tells you what students actually borrowed: about $5,500 at Rio Hondo College, $6,651 at Pasadena, $10,500 at Long Beach, CA, $13,194 at Integrity, and $18,040 at Homestead. Monthly repayment estimates are not published for these specific programs, so run your own numbers before signing: a five-figure balance is a payment you will carry into your first LVN paycheck.
What Can Offset It
- Federal Pell: Available at Title IV-eligible schools based on need and enrollment intensity. Note that the newer Workforce Pell covers short programs of 150 to 599 clock hours over 8 to 15 weeks1, and California vocational nursing programs run roughly 1,570 to 2,069 hours over 53 to 79 weeks2, so they sit outside that specific window.
- Cal Grant C: Aimed at occupational programs of at least four months3; guidance generally references a 2.0 GPA4, and community college fee waivers under the California College Promise may apply to some certificate students.
- Vocational Nurse Scholarship Program: Up to $4,000 in exchange for 12 months of direct patient care service at an approved site.5
One concrete step before any deposit: confirm the program appears on California's Eligible Training Provider List, maintained by the Employment Development Department.6 That listing is what makes a WIOA Individual Training Account through a workforce board for LVN programs in Los Angeles possible.7
Day, Evening, and Weekend Tracks: Total Time to Finish
The real tradeoff in scheduling isn't just how fast you finish, it's whether you can keep a paycheck coming while you do it. Concorde Career College in North Hollywood is the clearest example among LVN programs in Los Angeles of how that tradeoff plays out, since it publishes both a full-time day option and a part-time evening/weekend option on the same curriculum.
Full-Time Day Track
The daytime schedule runs about 13 months, or roughly 50 weeks, and is built for students who can treat nursing school like a full-time job. Concorde lists several 2026 day-cohort start dates, including February, April, July, and September, so applicants have multiple entry points across the year rather than waiting for a single fall intake.
Evening/Weekend Track
Students who need to keep working days can enroll in the evening/weekend format, which stretches the same coursework over about 20 months, or 80 weeks. Class meetings run Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., which in practice means picking specific blocks within that window rather than attending every session listed. Only two cohorts start per year on this track, in January and late August, so planning around those dates matters more if this is the path you need.
What Doesn't Change Between Tracks
Both formats cover the same total contact and clinical hours, the same lab time, and lead to the same diploma and BVNPT-approved credential. Choosing evening/weekend doesn't mean a lighter program, it means the identical workload spread over roughly seven additional months.
Other BVNPT-approved programs in the wider Los Angeles area, including LVN Programs in Pasadena, CA, may offer their own day or evening structures, but published, dated calendars comparable to Concorde's aren't consistently available for those schools. If a program's site doesn't list specific 2026 start dates or a clear month-by-month timeline, it's worth calling admissions directly before assuming the schedule will match what you've seen elsewhere.
Prerequisites, Entrance Exams, and What to Have Ready Before You Apply
Requirements differ meaningfully between community college vocational nursing programs and private career colleges like Concorde Career College in North Hollywood. The items below reflect what accredited LVN programs across the Los Angeles area commonly ask for, always confirm the current list with the specific school, since Concorde does not publish a detailed admissions checklist online.
- High school diploma or GEDNon-negotiable at every accredited LVN program in the Los Angeles area, including North Hollywood.
- Entrance or placement examMost community college programs use the ATI TEAS or HESI A2, often with minimum reading, math, and science benchmarks; some private vocational schools skip a national test in favor of their own assessment and an interview. Concorde does not publish a named entrance exam, so ask admissions directly which test, if any, applies.
- Prerequisite courseworkMany area programs expect anatomy, physiology, and college-level English before admission, and some community colleges add nutrition or introductory psychology plus a math competency check. Private programs more often build science content into the curriculum.
- Immunizations and TB clearanceHepatitis B, MMR, and varicella documentation plus current TB screening are required before clinical rotations at virtually every program.
- Physical examA provider's clearance confirming you can safely perform clinical duties.
- CPR/BLS certificationAmerican Heart Association Basic Life Support for healthcare providers, valid through your clinical terms.
- Background check and drug screenRequired by clinical partners before placement. Timing, panel scope, and appeal options vary by school, so ask early if you have anything on your record.
- Community college vs. private career collegeCommunity colleges tend to require more completed prerequisites, a minimum GPA, and sometimes a CNA certificate, at lower tuition; private programs typically front-load fewer academic requirements but cost substantially more.
- Waitlist vs. rolling admissionCommunity college vocational nursing programs in the region commonly use waitlists or lotteries, which can add a year or more before you start. Private schools generally run multiple cohorts a year with rolling entry, plan your timeline around which model your target school uses, and verify current start dates directly.
California Board Approval and How to Verify It Yourself
Related Articles
From Enrollment to License: The California LVN Path
Every licensed vocational nurse in California moves through the same five stages, in the same order. The paperwork varies by school, but the arc does not. Here is what the trip from first application to license in hand actually looks like.
LVN Pay Across the Los Angeles Metro
North Hollywood sits inside the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metropolitan division, which employs nearly 23,000 licensed practical and vocational nurses, the largest concentration of LVN jobs in the country. Local median pay tracks almost exactly with the California statewide median and runs well ahead of the national figure, though the spread between entry-level and top-end wages in Los Angeles is narrower than new graduates often expect. Figures below come from state and federal occupational wage data; the 25th and 75th percentile marks were not published for the Los Angeles division, and the national numbers reflect an earlier survey year, so treat the national comparison as directional rather than current.
| Area | 10th Percentile | Median Annual Wage | 90th Percentile | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | $48,924 | $64,128 | $76,848 | 22,970 |
| California statewide | N/A | $64,210 | N/A | 79,240 |
| United States (May 2022) | N/A | $55,940 | N/A | 632,020 |
Questions North Hollywood LVN Applicants Ask Most
These are the questions that come up most often from applicants across the San Fernando Valley, answered with the specifics California programs actually enforce. Policies differ by campus and clinical partner, so treat each answer as a starting point and confirm details with the program you are applying to.
Can I keep working while enrolled in an LVN program near North Hollywood?
Part-time work is common and manageable for most students. Full-time work alongside a full-time cohort is much harder to sustain, and many students cut hours once clinical rotations begin. Part-time tracks typically run 18 to 28 months, and Concorde Career College's North Hollywood evening/weekend option runs about 20 months. Ask admissions directly whether clinicals are scheduled during daytime hours, since clinical sites control the slots regardless of how a track is labeled.
What documents and clearances do LVN programs near North Hollywood require before the first clinical day?
For LPN/LVN Program Admissions, expect a clear criminal background check (usually Live Scan), a negative drug screen, and TB clearance from the past 12 months via a two-step skin test, IGRA blood test, or chest X-ray. Immunization records generally cover hepatitis B (three doses or a positive titer), MMR and varicella (two doses or titers), Tdap within 10 years, and current influenza. Some programs add a physical exam. Start gathering titers and vaccine records the week you are accepted, since series take months.
If I earn my LVN license in California, can I practice in another state?
Not automatically. California is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so your license does not travel and compact multistate licenses do not cover California practice. To work elsewhere, you apply for licensure by endorsement through LPN Reciprocity with that state's board of nursing, which generally requires an active license in good standing, NCLEX-PN passage, fingerprinting and a background check, and license verification through Nursys. Check the target state's board site early, since fees and added requirements vary.
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