Compare costs, NCLEX-PN pass rates, and schedules at Dayton-area practical nursing schools
Dayton’s largest health systems, Kettering Health and Premier Health, keep expanding, sustaining steady demand for licensed practical nurses across the region. Seven accredited LPN programs operate within a 75-mile drive of downtown, from hospital-based certificates to tracks embedded in associate degree plans. Students face a practical calculus: tuition, NCLEX-PN pass rates, and schedule promises intersect with the fixed reality that clinical slot availability often overrides advertised flexibility.
Dayton-area students can choose from several accredited practical nursing programs that offer hands-on clinical training and preparation for the NCLEX-PN. The rankings below highlight each school's net price, institution-wide graduation rate, and schedule flexibility to help you find the best fit. All programs are campus-based and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing where noted.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio Medical Career College | Dayton, OH | $15,000 – $20,000/yr | Dayton residents balancing work and evening classes | |
Ohio Medical Career College in Dayton offers a 40-week Practical Nursing diploma with day and evening class options, ideal for local students balancing work. The institution reports a graduation rate of 79% and a net price of $16,456, with former students earning a median of $12,403 annually ten years after enrollment. The program is approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing but currently holds provisional status, so applicants should confirm the latest NCLEX pass rates.
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| #2 | Ohio Institute of Allied Health | Huber Heights, OH | $47,000/yr | Career changers seeking accelerated, no-exam entry | |
Ohio Institute of Allied Health in Huber Heights provides an accelerated 12-month Practical Nursing diploma with no entrance exam, making admission straightforward. The college reports a graduation rate of 100% and a net price of $47,034; federal data shows median earnings for former students of $9,500 ten years after entry. The program includes hands-on labs and offsite clinical training to prepare for the NCLEX-PN.
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| #3 | Edison State Community College | Piqua, OH | $7,000/yr | Western Ohio students prioritizing low net price | |
Edison State Community College offers a Practical Nursing Certificate at its Eaton campus, just a short drive from Dayton, with a low net price of $7,142 for in-district students. The institution-wide graduation rate is 38%, and former students report median earnings of $41,360 ten years after enrollment, indicating strong return on investment. Admission requires a 2.5 GPA and entrance exam, with conditional acceptance available.
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| #4 | Clark State College | Springfield, OH | $4,000 – $8,000/yr | ||
Clark State College in Springfield, with a location in nearby Beavercreek, offers a flexible Practical Nursing Certificate with full-time and evening-weekend tracks. The program's total tuition is about $11,172, net price runs $12,135, and the college-wide graduation rate is 22%. Former students earn a median of $39,584 annually ten years after starting, and credits can be applied toward an RN degree at Clark State.
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Each Dayton-area LPN program on this page earned its position through a weighted comparison of several publicly available metrics. The factors we considered include the institution's net price (the amount students actually pay after subtracting grants and scholarships), its overall graduation rate, the median earnings of former students who completed a practical nursing program, and the typical debt load for graduates, which together form a comprehensive LPN program cost breakdown.
We draw graduation rates from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), where they are reported for the entire institution, not specifically for LPN cohorts. Median earnings come from program-level data gathered by the U.S. Department of Education. All schools included in the analysis are located within a 75-mile radius of Dayton, Ohio.
One important piece of information is not factored into the ranking itself: NCLEX-PN pass rates. Because those exam results are reported by the Ohio Board of Nursing rather than by federal data systems, we examine them separately in a detailed breakdown later in this guide. That approach keeps the ranking focused on long-term value while still giving you the licensing exam outcomes you need to gauge program quality.
The net price figures shown here represent the average amount students pay after grants and scholarships, based on institution-wide data. These are not exact LPN program costs, your actual expenses will depend on your financial aid package and specific program fees. Always contact the school's financial aid office for a personalized estimate.
How do Dayton-area LPN programs perform on the NCLEX-PN, and what do these rates mean for your career prospects?
The NCLEX-PN is the national licensing exam that every practical nurse must pass to practice. First-time pass rates are a transparent measure of how well a program prepares its students. According to the Ohio Board of Nursing's 2025 report, first-time test-takers in Ohio achieved a collective pass rate of 82.52%, which trails the national average of 86.59%.1 This gap highlights that not all programs are equally effective, and your choice of school can directly impact your odds of passing on the first attempt.
A high pass rate signals a program with strong instruction, relevant clinical experiences, and dedicated student support. Programs that consistently exceed the state average - especially those above 90% - demonstrate a reliable track record of producing competent graduates. On the other hand, schools with pass rates significantly below the state average may struggle with curriculum quality or student readiness. Low rates can also trigger regulatory scrutiny, which might affect program accreditation or your eligibility for financial aid.
While statewide averages offer context, the most relevant data comes from individual program reports. The Ohio Board of Nursing publishes annual pass-rate summaries for every approved LPN programs in Ohio, including those near Dayton.1 Reviewing these reports lets you compare schools directly and spot multi-year trends. Always look for programs that maintain pass rates above 85% over several exam cycles - that consistency is a strong indicator of program stability and quality.
Balancing work, family, and nursing school is the real puzzle. Dayton offers LPN programs with part-time, evening, and weekend pathways, but the flexibility you see on paper often collides with the fixed reality of clinical rotations. Know what actually fits before you commit.
Several programs recognize that not everyone can attend traditional daytime classes. Clark State College runs an evening and weekend certificate designed for part-time students. Ohio Medical Career College offers both day and evening cohorts in a compressed 40-week format. Stark State College provides day, evening, and weekend options, while Professional Skills Institute has daytime and evening classes. Fortis College in Centerville follows an 18-month track, longer than the typical 12-month sprint, which can feel part-time for some. Even so, flexibility has limits: a program labeled “evening” may still demand daytime commitments.
Clinical hours rarely align with evening lectures. Hospitals and long-term care facilities typically schedule precepted shifts in the morning and early afternoon. Stark State College, for instance, lists clinicals every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. While that weekend block can work for weekday workers, it is still a full-day obligation. Before enrolling, ask the program coordinator directly about clinical schedules, never assume that evening classes mean evening clinicals.
Dayton LPN programs share predictable hoops. Most expect a high school diploma or equivalent and a minimum GPA, often 2.5. Several require a standardized entrance exam; Stark State College uses the TEAS. Prerequisites differ: Clark State College specifies BIO 1105 and MST 1105, while Ohio Medical Career College demands a current CNA or MA credential plus CPR certification. Background checks and drug screenings are near-universal, Stark State explicitly lists both. You will also need immunizations, a physical exam, and usually CPR if not already covered.
If you want to skip the high-stakes test, a few schools offer open enrollment or omit the TEAS. Fortis College asks only for a high school diploma or equivalent, with no exam requirement. Ohio Medical Career College also does not mention an entrance exam, though its CNA or MA prerequisite acts as a readiness filter. These pathways can be quicker to start, but verify how they prepare you for the NCLEX-PN and local job expectations.
Dayton-area LPNs find employment at major healthcare employers such as Kettering Health, Premier Health, and the Dayton VA Medical Center. Although the BLS does not publish Dayton-specific salary data for LPNs, Ohio's mean annual wage is $60,990, aligning with national trends. Local LPN-to-RN bridge programs at area colleges provide a pathway to higher earnings for those looking to advance their nursing careers.
If you're considering a practical nursing career in the Dayton area, you likely have questions about salary, program length, costs, and flexibility. Below are answers to some of the most common inquiries from prospective LPN students in Ohio.
