Compare accredited practical nursing schools by cost, NCLEX pass rates, and program length across the Atlanta metro area.
A public technical college diploma that takes 12 months and costs a few thousand dollars, versus a private institution’s 18-month evening track with tuition above $20,000, both sit outside Atlanta’s perimeter but feed the same metro job market. With over 11,400 licensed practical nurses employed in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area1 and hiring steady across acute care, rehab, and skilled nursing facilities, program selection boils down to cost, schedule, and clinical preparation.
The ranked programs below are ordered by affordability, NCLEX-PN pass rates, and graduation outcomes rather than reputation alone. In a market where employers rarely distinguish between schools, licensure exam results and a clean attendance record matter more than the name on the diploma.
The seven schools below offer practical nursing programs within Georgia that prepare you for the NCLEX-PN. While none are located directly in Atlanta, several sit within a manageable drive for north Georgia commuters, and each brings a distinct blend of affordability, format, and support.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Dalton State College | Dalton, GA | $3,000 – $11,000/yr (est.) | Atlanta-area commuters seeking hybrid LPN | |
Dalton State is a public college in northwest Georgia with an unusually low net price of $5,012. Its 12-month hybrid LPN certificate combines online and clinical work, and a new Ellijay campus site brings the program within commuting range of Atlanta’s northern suburbs. Institution-wide, about 25% of students graduate, but graduates across all programs see median earnings of roughly $40,000 by year ten.
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| #2 | Southeastern Technical College | Vidalia, GA | $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) | Students prioritizing low median debt | |
Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia offers both a Practical Nursing diploma and a shorter PN21 certificate, each with three consecutive semesters of study. The college reports a median graduate debt of just $5,750 across all fields, and the practical nursing programs prepare students for NCLEX-PN licensure. Institution-wide, 37.5% of students complete a degree.
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| #3 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | ~$7,000/yr (est.) | Test-ready candidates wanting structured NCLEX prep | |
Central Georgia Technical College, located in Warner Robins, is ACEN-accredited and emphasizes structured NCLEX preparation with mandatory live reviews and ATI assessments. Students can expect a net price around $7,052, and the school’s overall graduation rate is 47%, the highest among the programs listed. Graduates typically earn about $30,848 per year ten years after leaving.
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| #4 | Coastal Pines Technical College | Waycross, GA | $0 – $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
Coastal Pines Technical College, with campuses in Waycross and beyond, reports a negative average net price, meaning many students receive more grant aid than tuition and fees. Its practical nursing offerings include a 49-credit certificate and a 57-credit diploma, and the institution’s graduation rate stands at 48.3%. Earnings data show alumni average $30,214 a decade after enrolling.
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| #5 | Oconee Fall Line Technical College | Sandersville, GA | ~$13,000/yr (est.) | ||
Oconee Fall Line Technical College in Sandersville boasts a strong 65% institution-wide graduation rate, the best among the ranked schools, and a low median graduate debt of $6,514. Its three-semester practical nursing certificate is built for working adults, with morning, afternoon, and evening class options. Ten-year post-enrollment earnings average approximately $30,899.
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| #6 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Valdosta, GA | $0 – $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta stands out for its extremely low net price of just $614, thanks to generous aid packaging. The practical nursing program comes in both diploma and certificate formats, each requiring the HESI A2 entrance exam. The institution graduates about half its students, and alumni typically earn nearly $31,000 ten years after starting.
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| #7 | North Georgia Technical College | Clarkesville, GA | $4,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
North Georgia Technical College in Clarkesville offers a campus-based practical nursing program with a strong focus on patient care basics and healthcare ethics. Its net price of $4,005 and median debt of $7,823 make it an affordable pick, and graduates see median earnings of roughly $32,932 ten years out, the highest among the group.
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Nursing education today is increasingly judged by student outcomes rather than institutional prestige alone. Our rankings reflect that shift by putting hard data first.
Every program on this list holds institutional accreditation and is approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing, ensuring they align with the standards of accredited nursing schools in Georgia. Unaccredited or inactive programs were excluded from consideration, ensuring you only see legitimate, board-recognized options.
Many popular school-ranking sites, such as Niche, lean heavily on student reviews and self-reported impressions. While that feedback can be useful, it doesn’t always predict your experience or earnings. Our method, like the data-driven approach behind our top LPN programs list, is built on independently-reported federal data covering thousands of graduates, making it a more outcome-driven tool for comparing Atlanta-area LPN programs.
We included licensed practical nursing programs within a 75-mile radius of Atlanta. This captures nearby training sites in surrounding counties and even bordering states, so you can weigh convenience against program quality without missing a solid local option. Out-of-state schools that fall inside this radius are listed too, as long as they meet Georgia Board approval or are otherwise eligible for your licensure pathway.
LPN program costs in the Atlanta area vary widely depending on residency status and financial aid. The figures below reflect published tuition for the 2023 academic year, along with each school’s institution-wide average net price after grants and scholarships, actual program costs may differ. Be sure to budget an additional $500-$1,500 or more for clinical supplies, uniforms, background checks, and exams.
In Atlanta, most LPN programs are diploma-track programs that take between 12 to 18 months to complete, though some may extend to 20 to 24 months depending on credits and clinical hours. Gwinnett Technical College, for example, offers a three-semester practical nursing diploma that can be finished in as little as 12 months.1 Atlanta Technical College’s program is structured across five terms and typically runs 20 to 24 months, providing a more spread-out pace.2 Most programs are full-time and require daytime attendance on campus, reflecting the hands-on nature of clinical training. A small number of schools may offer evening or part-time tracks for students who need to work while studying, but these are less common.
Program length often hinges on whether you enroll full-time or part-time and whether you complete your LPN prerequisites before starting the nursing core. Georgia’s Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) schools tend to offer some of the fastest and most affordable LPN programs in Georgia, with Gwinnett Tech’s accelerated three-semester sequence as a prime example. If you need to take developmental courses or spread general education classes across multiple terms, your total time in school can extend beyond the advertised length. Always verify with the admissions office exactly how long the program will take based on your individual academic plan and scheduling needs.
A minimum 60% score on the Kaplan Nursing School Entrance Exam is one specific benchmark at institutions like Gwinnett Technical College, while the ATI TEAS remains the standard entrance test across most Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) schools, often requiring around 65%. All accredited LPN programs in the state require a high school diploma or GED and expect applicants to be at least 18 years old. GPA thresholds typically fall between 2.0 and 2.5 for practical nursing diplomas, though competitive tracks such as Atlanta Technical College’s LPN-to-RN Bridge set the bar higher at a 2.5 minimum and demand a “B” or better in specified science prerequisites.
Coursework requirements vary by institution. Gwinnett Technical College’s Practical Nursing Program does not mandate specific prerequisite college courses beyond placement testing, which can be satisfied through Accuplacer, SAT, ACT, or high school GPA. In contrast, Atlanta Technical College’s LPN-to-RN Bridge, which builds on an existing LPN license, requires BIOL 2113 (Anatomy & Physiology I) with lab, BIOL 2114 (Anatomy & Physiology II) with lab, BIOL 2117 (Microbiology) with lab, and either MATH 1111 or MATH 1101. Generally, programs favor applicants who have completed introductory biology or English composition, even when not formally required.
Expect to complete a criminal background check and a drug screening, both of which are non-negotiable at Atlanta-area colleges such as Gwinnett Tech and Atlanta Technical College. Proof of current immunizations and CPR certification is also standard before you can begin clinical rotations.
Georgia’s technical colleges typically use rolling admissions or cohort-based starts in spring and fall. For example, Gwinnett Technical College lists a firm application cutoff of July 25, 2026, for its upcoming practical nursing cohort. Because spots fill quickly, submitting materials well before the deadline is wise, especially for programs with competitive entrance exam scores.
LPN NCLEX pass rates offer a transparent look at how well a practical nursing program prepares its students for licensure. In Georgia, the overall pass rate for first-time test-takers consistently exceeds the national average, signaling strong training across the state.
Georgia’s first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate hovers around 88%, while the national average typically falls between 83% and 87%. That gap reflects the rigor of state-approved programs, but school-level outcomes still vary. The Georgia Board of Nursing publishes annual pass rates for every approved LPN program, and reviewing the latest figures is essential when comparing schools.
For the programs ranked on this page, pass rates are generally above the state average, though a few may land closer to the 80% benchmark that many educators consider the minimum indicator of quality. If a program’s rate dips below 80% for consecutive years, it can suggest curriculum gaps or insufficient student support. Always check current data directly with the board or the school.
Accreditation provides another layer of confidence. All LPN programs in Georgia must hold approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing, but some also earn national accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). For instance, Gwinnett Technical College’s practical nursing program is state-board approved; verifying its specific pass rate and any additional accreditation can help you make an informed choice.
With a growing healthcare sector and a steady demand for skilled nursing professionals, LPNs in Atlanta find themselves in a stable and rewarding career field.
The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metropolitan area employs over 11,400 licensed practical nurses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mean annual wage for LPNs in the region is $58,130, which is close to the national median of $59,730.1 This places Atlanta salaries on par with many other large metro areas, as seen in LPN salary by state comparisons, though specific settings and shifts can influence pay.
For context, national earnings data show the variation across the profession. The lowest 10 percent of LPNs earn around $45,670, while the top 10 percent earn more than $77,870. The middle 50 percent typically make between $50,640 and $67,140, with experience and credentials often dictating where you fall in that spread.1
Nationwide, LPN jobs are expected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, resulting in about 54,400 openings each year.2 In Atlanta, major employers such as Emory Healthcare, Piedmont Healthcare, and Grady Health System regularly hire new graduates, especially in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. When weighing program costs against these wage figures, even a modest starting salary can quickly offset tuition and fees. While program-specific earnings data for Atlanta schools is not released, the consistent demand and competitive local wages suggest a strong return on investment for those who complete an accredited LPN program.
Still have questions about LPN programs in Atlanta? Here are answers to some of the most common queries from prospective practical nursing students. We cover accreditation, scheduling, licensure steps and advancement options.
