Compare costs, NCLEX pass rates, and accreditation for Las Vegas-area practical nursing schools.
Las Vegas hospitals and skilled nursing facilities employed 2,410 licensed practical nurses in 2026, with demand projected to rise as the region's population ages. Entering the field starts with a state-approved practical nursing program. In Nevada, the credential is called LPN, not LVN, though the two are equivalent.
The programs ranked below offer a starting point, with NCLEX pass rates, cost breakdowns, and salary data helping you compare options. Nevada Board of Nursing approval is non-negotiable for licensure, and pass rates on the NCLEX-PN exam vary sharply among local schools.
In a market where hospital systems continually recruit, a state-approved LPN certificate remains the quickest route to direct patient care employment.
Las Vegas offers several pathways to a practical nursing career, from public community college programs to private accelerated certificates. The three schools highlighted here stand out for their NCLEX preparation, affordability, and hands-on clinical training in Nevada healthcare settings. Each listing provides key details to help you find the right fit.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | College of Southern Nevada | Las Vegas, NV | $4,000 – $13,000/yr | Budget-conscious Las Vegas learners | |
The College of Southern Nevada is the primary public provider of practical nursing education in the Las Vegas area. Its ACEN-accredited program boasts a 100% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate and offers a unique bridge for military medics. With a net price under $7,000 and a strong local employer network, it is the most affordable and deeply integrated pathway for Clark County residents.
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| #2 | Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | $20,000 – $25,000/yr | Career changers wanting a fast track | |
Pima Medical Institute’s Las Vegas campus provides a private, career-focused practical nursing certificate that can be completed in 12 months. The program emphasizes hands-on patient care and prepares graduates for local employment in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care settings. Its strong institutional graduation rate and manageable median debt make it a practical option for those seeking a fast-paced training environment.
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| #3 | Carrington College-Reno | Reno, NV | $52,000/yr (net price) | Northern Nevada students or relocators | |
Carrington College’s Reno campus offers a Vocational Nursing Certificate of Achievement that is approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing. While located in northern Nevada, the program attracts students from across the state with its hands-on clinical training and preparation for the NCLEX-PN. The school’s high retention rate and robust 10-year earnings potential indicate strong student support and career outcomes.
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Many nursing school rankings lean on reputation, popularity, or editorial preference alone. Our list takes a different route: we built it from scratch using publicly available federal data and a clear, objective lens.
We pull core metrics from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, including net price (the average cost after grants and scholarships), program-level earnings of graduates, median student debt, and institution-wide graduation rates. Note that graduation rate reflects the entire school, not just the nursing department, and net price is an average: your actual cost may be lower or higher depending on financial aid and circumstances.
To capture all accessible LPN programs in the Las Vegas area, we use a 75-mile radius from the city center. This ensures we include schools in nearby towns that local students often attend, not just those with a Las Vegas mailing address.
By sticking to hard numbers and transparent criteria, we avoid the guesswork that drives many editor-curated rankings. Our goal is to give you a clear starting point based on data that matters: earnings, debt, and affordability, rather than a list of names.
The net price shown below reflects what students pay after grants and scholarships. Public programs like College of Southern Nevada cost significantly less, and with 88.4% of CSN students receiving Pell Grants, financial aid access is strong. Median debt at completion rounds out the total cost picture.
National accreditation can improve a program’s reputation and financial aid options, but in Nevada, only state approval from the Nevada Board of Nursing makes graduates eligible to take the NCLEX-PN. Before enrolling, you need to understand the difference, and confirm that a Las Vegas program holds both.
Programmatic accrediting bodies like ACEN (nursing-specific), ABHES (healthcare), and ACCSC (vocational) ensure a program meets national standards. However, the Nevada Board of Nursing independently approves programs that meet state-specific requirements. Without board approval, graduates cannot apply for licensure. For example, College of Southern Nevada’s practical nursing program is ACEN-accredited and board-approved. By contrast, Las Vegas College (ACCSC) and Eagle Gate College (ABHES) are accredited but not board-approved for the LPN role.
Always check the Board’s approved program list before signing up for any Las Vegas LPN program. Accreditation tells you about quality, but only state approval opens the door to your license.
How do Las Vegas LPN programs perform on the NCLEX-PN licensing exam? Pass rates reveal how well a school prepares graduates to pass this required test and start their careers.
According to the Nevada Board of Nursing’s 2024 annual report, Las Vegas College achieved a 100% NCLEX-PN pass rate1 for its practical nursing program. This perfect score is based on a small cohort of 6 test-takers, so while the result is encouraging, it’s wise to check multi-year trends when possible.
For context, the national average NCLEX-PN pass rate for U.S.-educated candidates was 90% in 20242, as reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Pass rates above this benchmark generally indicate strong curriculum alignment with exam content and effective student support.
A program’s NCLEX-PN pass rate is a direct indicator of educational quality. Consistently low pass rates may point to gaps in instruction, insufficient clinical hours, or weak exam preparation. Conversely, a single year of perfect results from a tiny group does not guarantee the same outcome for every student. Look for patterns: ideally, rates that stay at or above the national average over several years. Within the Las Vegas area, no other LPN program reported pass rate data for 2024 in the board’s public records, which may reflect small program sizes or other reporting factors. If a school’s data is not publicly available, contact the program directly or check with the state board before enrolling in LPN programs in Nevada.
The Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas metro area employs 2,410 licensed practical nurses, with a median annual wage of $73,650 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For regional comparison, nearby metro areas like Reno and Carson City show higher medians of $75,750 and $76,390 respectively, though with significantly smaller employment bases. Wage data at the 25th and 75th percentiles show the range within which most Las Vegas LPNs earn.
| Location | Total Employment | 25th Percentile | Median Annual Wage | 75th Percentile | Mean Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 2,410 | $63,690 | $73,650 | $76,030 | $71,080 |
| Reno, NV | 540 | $64,820 | $75,750 | $76,890 | $72,930 |
| Carson City, NV | 100 | $65,820 | $76,390 | $77,540 | $74,280 |
Prospective nursing students in Las Vegas often have questions about program length, costs, and requirements. Find answers to the most frequently asked questions below.
