Compare Georgia's highest-ranked practical nursing programs by NCLEX pass rates, cost, earnings, and format options.
Georgia’s Department of Labor projects a 2.6% increase in LPN jobs through 2034, signaling steady demand across long-term care, home health, and outpatient clinics in both metro Atlanta and rural communities.
Programs range from intensive 12-month certificates (like the hybrid option at Dalton State College) to traditional campus-based diplomas at technical colleges statewide. Tuition, clinical hours, and graduate earnings can differ dramatically, making direct comparison essential.
Strong employment numbers don’t erase the need for careful vetting: accreditation, NCLEX pass rates, and out-of-pocket cost are what separate a smart investment from a costly detour in Georgia’s practical nursing landscape.
Georgia offers many practical nursing paths, but costs, outcomes, and program formats vary widely. This ranking highlights schools where strong NCLEX preparation meets affordable net price and solid graduate earnings, helping you find a program that fits both your career goals and your budget.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | Coastal Pines Technical College | Waycross, GA | $0 – $5,000/yr | Evening learners across multiple campuses | |
Coastal Pines Technical College in Waycross delivers a practical nursing certificate with a cohort-based structure and both day and evening options across multiple campuses. The program boasts a 100% NCLEX-PN pass rate at three campuses, and its negative average net price means many students attend at very low cost after aid. Graduates are prepared for Georgia LPN licensure with strong clinical training.
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| #2 | North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville, GA | $4,000/yr (net price) | Pell Grant recipients seeking supportive campus | |
North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville offers a campus-based practical nursing diploma that emphasizes patient care and medical procedures. The student body is overwhelmingly Pell Grant recipients, and the college reports a median graduate debt of just $7,823. With low in-state tuition and strong faculty support, it's a solid entry point for rural and first-generation students.
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| #3 | Oconee Fall Line Technical College | Sandersville, GA | $13,000/yr | Aspiring nurses prioritizing employment outcomes | |
Oconee Fall Line Technical College in Sandersville stands out with a 100% job placement rate for its practical nursing graduates. The three-semester technical certificate is offered morning, afternoon, and evening to accommodate working students, and the college reports low median debt of $6,514. Small class sizes and scholarship availability make it an attractive, budget-friendly choice.
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| #4 | Athens Technical College | Athens, GA | $3,000 – $6,000/yr | ||
Athens Technical College offers a practical nursing diploma with a strong track record of 100% job placement and excellent board pass rates. Students train in modern simulation labs and have the option of full-time or part-time schedules, one of only five part-time LPN programs in Georgia. Alumni report median earnings of $35,951, among the highest for similar programs in the state.
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| #5 | West Georgia Technical College | Waco, GA | $2,000/yr (net price) | ||
West Georgia Technical College in Waco provides a practical nursing certificate with an unusually low net price of $2,457 after aid, making it one of the most affordable options in the state. The program is campus-based and covers essential nursing competencies, though its 35% graduation rate suggests students should plan carefully for program completion.
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| #6 | Albany Technical College | Albany, GA | ~$5,000/yr (est.) | ||
Albany Technical College's practical nursing diploma blends 57 credits of coursework with over 375 clinical hours, giving students ample hands-on experience. Admission requires a TEAS score of 55, and the program is accredited by ACEN and the Georgia Board of Nursing. While net price is low, the 51% retention rate warrants a closer look at student support resources.
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| #7 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | $7,000/yr | ||
Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins offers an ACEN-accredited practical nursing diploma with an 80% licensure pass rate and 80% job placement within six months. The program spans three semesters and includes ATI comprehensive testing, mandatory NCLEX review, and clinical rotations within an 80-mile radius. Simulation experiences and virtual ATI support reinforce classroom learning.
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| #8 | Dalton State College | Dalton, GA | $3,000 – $11,000/yr | ||
Dalton State College offers a 12-month hybrid LPN certificate that combines online coursework with in-person clinicals, catering to students who need flexibility. Graduates report the highest median earnings among ranked programs at $40,251, and the program is approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing. Competitive admission and a 25% graduation rate signal the need for strong academic preparation.
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| #9 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA | $6,000/yr (net price) | ||
Savannah Technical College's practical nursing diploma is a competitive-entry program offered at both the Savannah and Liberty campuses. With spring and fall starts, it emphasizes integrated theory and clinical practice. The program's low median graduate debt of $3,258 and solid alumni earnings of $33,018 make it a cost-effective choice for students on the coast.
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| #10 | Ogeechee Technical College | Statesboro, GA | $7,000/yr | ||
Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro grants a practical nursing diploma emphasizing critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and cultural sensitivity. The campus-based program prepares students for the NCLEX-PN exam and entry-level nursing roles. With a net price of $6,542 and median debt of $9,500, it offers a middle-of-the-road cost profile.
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| #11 | Lincoln College of Technology-Marietta | Marietta, GA | ~$31,000/yr (est.) | ||
Lincoln College of Technology in Marietta is a private, campus-based LPN program with a 64% graduation rate, significantly higher than many public options. However, its net price of $30,801 is the highest on this list, and median alumni earnings of $31,914 are below several public colleges. It may suit students willing to trade cost for a more structured, career-focused environment.
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Understanding the true cost of an LPN program goes beyond sticker-price tuition. The net price shown here reflects what students actually paid after grants and scholarships, while median graduate debt and long-term earnings offer a practical view of the financial commitment and potential return across Georgia's top LPN programs.
| School | In-State Tuition | Net Price | Median Graduate Debt | Median Earnings (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Georgia Technical College | $3,410 | $2,457 | $11,110 | $35,479 |
| North Georgia Technical College | $3,330 | $4,005 | $7,823 | $32,932 |
| Albany Technical College | $3,364 | $4,524 | $12,412 | $30,541 |
| Dalton State College | $3,336 | $5,012 | $12,937 | $40,251 |
| Savannah Technical College | $3,330 | $6,114 | $3,258 | $33,018 |
| Ogeechee Technical College | $3,388 | $6,542 | $9,500 | $31,248 |
| Athens Technical College | $3,390 | $6,949 | N/A | $35,951 |
| Central Georgia Technical College | $3,448 | $7,052 | $9,608 | $30,848 |
| Oconee Fall Line Technical College | $3,380 | $12,844 | $6,514 | $30,899 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Marietta | N/A | $30,801 | $10,521 | $31,914 |
An LPN program in Georgia is a focused certificate or diploma that equips you with the hands-on skills and foundational knowledge to pass the NCLEX-PN and begin working as a licensed practical nurse. Most full-time students complete the coursework and clinical requirements in roughly 12 months, though several factors, including the pace you choose and the specific school’s credit structure, can adjust that timeline.
A standard full-time LPN curriculum in Georgia is organized into three semesters, usually running fall, spring, and summer. The total credit load typically falls around 49 credits, a benchmark set by many technical college programs such as those at Coastal Pines Technical College and Columbus Technical College. Not every school follows that exact number, however. Albany Technical College’s Practical Nursing Diploma, for instance, requires 57 credits, 48 in occupational courses plus 9 in basic skills like English or math. The sequence is deliberate: introductory nursing fundamentals and anatomy lead into advanced topics and clinical application, so each term builds directly on the one before it.
The classroom and lab portion of Georgia LPN programs covers a broad range of subjects designed to prepare you for the variety of patient encounters you’ll face. Expect courses in anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, and nursing fundamentals early on. As you progress, the focus shifts to adult health, maternal-child nursing, and mental health concepts. Other required courses often include psychology, English, math, and leadership. The mix ensures that graduates aren’t only clinically competent but can also communicate effectively, think critically, and supervise nursing assistants, skills that appear daily on the job.
Program length isn’t one-size-fits-all. If you need to work or manage family obligations, many schools offer an evening or part-time track. Coastal Pines Technical College’s evening program stretches the same 49-credit curriculum over four semesters, often taking around 16 to 18 months. On the flip side, accelerated or fast-track options compress the schedule into a tighter window, usually by holding courses through the summer without a break. The day program at Coastal Pines, for example, completes all three semesters consecutively, landing students at graduation in about one calendar year. The trade-off is intensity: a heavier course load each term and little downtime between modules. These timelines are not part of our program rankings, so always confirm the latest schedule directly with the school’s nursing department.
Clinical experience is the backbone of any practical nursing program, and in Georgia it makes up a significant portion of your training. While the exact number of supervised clinical hours varies by school, most programs require several hundred hours, often in the range of 500 to 700 total, spread across the core clinical courses. You’ll rotate through a mix of settings that mirror real-world nursing practice. Common sites include general and acute-care hospitals, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, community health clinics, and occasionally pediatric or psychiatric care units. These rotations are where you’ll apply skills like medication administration, wound care, and patient assessment under the guidance of an instructor or preceptor. By the time you finish, you should feel ready to handle a full patient assignment and to sit for the NCLEX-PN with confidence.
Balancing hands-on clinical training with schedule flexibility is a key challenge for aspiring LPNs in Georgia. Most LPN programs require in-person attendance for labs and clinicals, but a handful now offer hybrid structures that let you complete lectures online while reporting to campus or healthcare sites for the hands-on component.
The Georgia Board of Nursing mandates that all LPN programs include supervised clinical experiences.1 No licensed practical nursing program in the state can be completed entirely online, since those direct patient-care hours cannot be replicated through a screen. With 485 clinical training hours required alongside 685 hours of theoretical instruction1, every accredited program must include significant in-person time. Even schools advertising "online" components still require your physical presence for the most critical parts of the curriculum.
A few top-ranked Georgia schools have embraced a hybrid delivery model that splits the workload. Chattahoochee Technical College, for example, delivers all didactic or theory coursework online, reserving campus visits for labs and clinical rotations. Similarly, Dalton State College’s LPN program combines online and in-person learning, with clinicals conducted at regional healthcare facilities. The program runs for 12 months with two start dates per year, and clinical scheduling may involve out-of-town travel, weekend, or evening hours. Other programs in the ranking, such as Coastal Pines Technical College, remain campus-only but offer day and evening options to accommodate different schedules.
Hybrid LPN programs primarily serve working adults, parents, and career changers who cannot put their lives on hold for a traditional full-time classroom schedule. Completing lectures on your own time frees up chunks of your week for work or family obligations while still guaranteeing the rigorous hands-on training employers expect. If you learn well independently and can manage your time, this structure often makes the difference between delaying nursing school and starting right away.
Before enrolling, ask each program exactly how many days per week you'll need to be on campus or at a clinical site. Some hybrid programs require attendance only one or two days a week for lab intensives and simulations, while others maintain a more traditional weekly schedule. Clinicals often take place within 80 miles of campus; as Dalton State’s program illustrates, they may fall during evenings or weekends. You should also confirm the online platform and whether you'll have access to virtual tutoring or recorded lectures. These logistics matter as much as tuition when you're juggling a job or caregiving responsibilities.
Entrance exam cutoffs for Georgia LPN programs span a 10-point range: Albany Technical College asks for a 55% on the TEAS, while Central Georgia Technical College sets the bar at 65%.
Every accredited LPN program in Georgia starts with a set of universal prerequisites. You must hold a high school diploma or GED, provide up-to-date immunization records, and pass a criminal background check and drug screening. Some programs add age requirements: Gwinnett Technical College requires you to be 18, while Chattahoochee Technical College allows entry at 17 as long as you turn 18 by the time you sit for the NCLEX-PN.
Most public technical colleges rely on the TEAS or HESI entrance exam. The minimum acceptable score varies:
Chattahoochee Technical College takes a different approach: instead of an exam cutoff, it requires a feeder major before applying. GPA expectations are typically modest, most programs ask for a 2.0 or higher in prerequisite courses, and Central Georgia Tech specifies that core prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Seats in Georgia LPN programs are limited, and all the programs listed use competitive admissions rather than open enrollment. While some older guides mention waitlists, the 2025-2026 admissions materials for Coastal Pines, Central Georgia, Gwinnett, and Ogeechee technical colleges explicitly state they do not maintain a waitlist. Instead, each application cycle is ranked by entrance exam score or other criteria, and students who are not admitted must reapply for the next term. This makes a strong TEAS or HESI performance critical, as it directly determines your spot in the applicant pool.
A few programs, especially those in high-demand metro areas, may still use a waitlist as a management tool, but published policies now lean toward competitive reselection. When a waitlist does exist, applying early in the cycle and having a complete application with all transcripts and test scores submitted promptly can move you up the line.
Healthcare work experience is rarely a formal requirement, but a background as a CNA or medical assistant can strengthen your application at the margin, especially if a program uses holistic review. Maintaining the minimum GPA, or exceeding it, keeps you eligible across multiple schools.
Georgia’s licensed practical nurses (LPNs) play a critical role in healthcare, and their compensation reflects steady demand across the state. The latest wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the median annual salary for LPNs in Georgia is $58,490, with an hourly median of $28.12. While this sits below the national median of $62,340, Georgia’s cost of living and strong job growth make the profession a practical choice for many.
Statewide, half of all LPNs earn between $50,400 (25th percentile) and $64,280 (75th percentile). The top 10 percent of earners bring home more than $73,040 annually, while the bottom 10 percent earn $44,500 or less. These figures are drawn from 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. When compared nationwide, Georgia LPNs earn approximately 94 percent of the national median, though this gap narrows considerably in metropolitan areas.
Wages can vary significantly depending on where you work within Georgia. The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metropolitan area leads the state with a median annual wage of $63,190, or $30.38 per hour, comfortably above both the state and national medians. O*NET Local Wages data confirms that Atlanta’s healthcare hubs, including Emory Healthcare, Wellstar, and Piedmont, drive higher pay scales.
For other large Georgia metros, such as Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, and Macon, median wages tend to align more closely with the statewide figure of $58,490, though exact figures are not broken out in the most recent O*NET data release. Generally, the farther you move from the Atlanta urban core, the more LPN salaries cluster around the state median. Rural areas may offer starting pay near the 10th percentile, but lower living costs can offset these differences.
Job prospects for LPNs look promising. The BLS projects national employment growth of 3 percent for LPNs and licensed vocational nurses from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. In Georgia, demand is fueled by an expanding healthcare sector, an aging population, and the continuous need for long-term care and home health services. The Georgia Department of Labor’s long‑term occupational projections also point to steady openings, particularly as experienced nurses retire.
Beyond hospital and nursing home settings, LPNs are increasingly hired by outpatient clinics, physician offices, and assisted living facilities. Earning specialized certifications in areas like IV therapy, wound care, or gerontology can further enhance both job stability and earning potential. For those considering advancement, LPN-to-RN bridge programs are readily available across Georgia and can open the door to higher-paying registered nurse roles. Overall, the combination of a relatively short training timeline and sustained need makes the LPN role an accessible and resilient entry point into Georgia’s healthcare workforce.
Georgia’s Department of Labor projects a 2.6% increase in LPN jobs through 2034. This steady growth reflects sustained demand in long-term care, home health, and outpatient clinics across the state.
Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in Georgia follows a clear path from education to examination and beyond. The Georgia Board of Nursing oversees the process, which includes an application, background check, and passing the NCLEX-PN. Here's what to expect at each stage.
An LPN-to-RN bridge program is a fast-track educational pathway that helps licensed practical nurses earn an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing and become registered nurses. These programs are designed to build on your current clinical skills and previous coursework, so you can advance your career without repeating what you already know.
These programs recognize that LPNs bring real-world experience and foundational knowledge to the table. You will typically receive credit for your LPN education, which shortens the time needed to complete an RN degree. The curriculum focuses on advanced nursing concepts, critical care, leadership, and deeper clinical reasoning. Most bridge programs lead to an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), which qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Some universities also offer a direct LPN-to-BSN bridge for those who want a bachelor’s degree.
Several Georgia colleges offer accredited LPN-to-RN bridge programs with campus and hybrid formats. Here are some options to consider:
To apply for an LPN-to-RN bridge program in Georgia, you typically need an active, unencumbered Georgia LPN license. Schools generally set a minimum GPA (often between 2.5 and 3.0) and require completion of prerequisite courses in anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Many programs use the TEAS or a similar entrance exam to assess readiness. Additional steps may include letters of recommendation, a criminal background check, and proof of immunizations. Since each program has its own deadlines and specific requirements, review the details on the school's nursing department website.
The salary jump from LPN to RN in Georgia is a powerful motivator. Registered nurses earn substantially more than licensed practical nurses, with many LPNs seeing a pay increase of 50% or higher after completing a bridge program. This can mean tens of thousands of dollars more per year, making the investment in education well worth it for long-term career growth and financial stability.
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about practical nursing education in Georgia, covering program length, costs, admissions, and career outlook. Use these to guide your research as you compare LPN schools across the state.
