Compare tuition, NCLEX pass rates, and program length for practical nursing schools serving the Westerville area.
Licensed practical nurses in the Columbus metro area earned a median wage of $53,620 in 2024, but pay can vary widely by facility and shift. Westerville’s location just north of the city places students within commuting distance of several LPN programs in Columbus, though only Fortis College’s Columbus campus sits within Westerville city limits.
Programs range from full-time, campus-based diplomas lasting about a year to hybrid options that blend online coursework with in-person clinicals. Tuition and fees differ markedly between public technical centers and private colleges, and NCLEX-PN first-time pass rates provide a direct measure of how well a school prepares graduates for licensure.
With OhioHealth, Mount Carmel, and multiple long-term care employers hiring aggressively throughout the region, selecting a program that combines competitive pricing with proven exam outcomes is a practical first step into the profession.
We evaluated practical nursing programs within 65 miles of Westerville, focusing on accredited institutions that prepare students for the NCLEX-PN exam. The ranking considers factors such as program format, cost, and reported outcomes to help prospective nurses find a quality, accessible education.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fortis College-Columbus | Westerville, OH | $28,000/yr | Westerville residents seeking hybrid format | |
Fortis College in Westerville offers a hybrid practical nursing program that combines online coursework with on-campus labs and clinical experiences. The program is designed for busy adults and includes career placement support for local healthcare employers. Transfer credit is available for working State Tested Nursing Assistants (STNAs), accelerating the path to LPN licensure.
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| #2 | Columbus State Community College | Columbus, OH | $5,000 – $11,000/yr | Budget-conscious students near downtown Columbus | |
Columbus State Community College provides a full-time LPN certificate with day and evening options, making it accessible for working students. The program is Ohio Board of Nursing approved and emphasizes clinical competency. As a public institution, it offers competitive tuition rates for in-district learners.
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| #3 | Central Ohio Technical College | Newark, OH | $5,000 – $8,000/yr | East-suburb students seeking high pass rates | |
Central Ohio Technical College's one-year practical nursing certificate features a high licensure pass rate and multiple start dates. The program is offered at several locations, including Newark, with flexible scheduling. It is ACEN accredited and serves as a stepping stone to an associate degree via an LPN-to-RN transition path.
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| #4 | North Central State College | Mansfield, OH | $5,000/yr (net price) | ||
North Central State College in Mansfield offers a practical nursing certificate that can be completed in one year. The curriculum blends classroom learning with clinical experiences in various healthcare settings. Admission is selective, requiring a minimum 2.3 GPA and prerequisite coursework.
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| #5 | Clark State College | Springfield, OH | $4,000 – $8,000/yr | ||
Clark State College's practical nursing program is a 12-month certificate offered in full-time and evening-weekend formats. The curriculum is stackable into the college's RN degrees, providing a clear advancement path. With locations in Springfield and surrounding areas, it serves students west of Columbus.
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Comparing LPN programs effectively means looking past marketing promises and focusing on factors that predict your success on the job.
Total cost matters, but it shouldn't be the only number you weigh. In the Westerville area, tuition varies widely among schools like Columbus State Community College and Fortis College, so request a breakdown that includes fees, scrubs, and exam costs. More importantly, look at the program's NCLEX-PN pass rate. A high graduation rate might seem impressive, but if recent graduates struggled to pass the licensing exam, your career is stuck at the starting line. Without an LPN license, you can't practice. Ask each school for its first-time pass rate from the last three years; you want a figure that matches or beats the national average. This single metric tells you whether the curriculum actually prepares students for state boards.
Program length near Westerville typically ranges from 10 to 15 months, but you'll find exceptions on both ends. For example, ALIA School of Nursing offers a 10-month accelerated track, while Fortis College Westerville's hybrid program extends to 18 months. Most schools, including AIAM and Ohio Business College, land around 12 months. Shorter isn't always better: accelerated formats demand full-time focus and may not work if you're balancing a job. Look for schedule flexibility that matches your life: Columbus State runs full-time day and evening cohorts, COTC lets you take some general education courses online, and Fortis blends on-campus and online instruction. Confirm whether part-time or evening options are available, because clinical hours are often fixed and cannot be negotiated.
Clinical rotations shape your competence and confidence. When you talk to admissions, don't just ask whether the program includes clinical hours; ask where those sites are located. A school might schedule your rotations at facilities on the opposite side of Columbus, adding an hour of driving to an already long day. Proximity to Westerville matters. Programs with established relationships at central Ohio hospitals and long-term care centers often give you shorter commutes and better networking opportunities. If a school is vague about placement locations, ask current students or recent graduates about their experience. Commuting logistics can quietly drain your energy during a demanding program, so make clinical site geography a tiebreaker.
By weighing these four factors, cost and pass rates, length and flexibility, and clinical access, you'll choose a program that sets you up for swift licensure and a steady job close to home.
The sticker price of an LPN program only tells part of the story. The net price, what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, provides a clearer picture, though individual costs will vary. Beyond tuition, budget for the NCLEX-PN exam ($200), books and supplies ($700-$1,000), uniforms ($150-$300), clinical supplies ($75-$175), program fees ($300-$700), and state licensure and background checks (up to $400 and $150, respectively).
In 2024, first-time NCLEX-PN candidates from LPN programs in Ohio achieved a statewide pass rate of 82.54%1; however, Fortis College’s Columbus campus, which serves students from Westerville, posted a notably higher 93.10% pass rate2.
The table below compares the most recent NCLEX-PN results for Fortis College Columbus with Ohio and national averages.
| Program | NCLEX-PN Pass Rate (2024) | First-Time Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| Fortis College Columbus PN | 93.10%2 | 292 |
| Ohio Statewide PN Average | 82.54%1 | 3,4361 |
| National PN Average | 88.38%1 | 50,5671 |
Fortis College’s performance exceeded the Ohio average by over ten percentage points and also cleared the national benchmark, indicating effective preparation for its students.
A program’s NCLEX-PN pass rate is a direct indicator of how well its curriculum aligns with the licensure exam. Consistently high rates suggest strong instruction, quality clinical placements, and solid student support. On the other hand, rates dipping below 80% can raise concerns about program quality and student readiness.
The Ohio Board of Nursing tracks these outcomes closely and requires corrective action plans from programs that fall below established thresholds.1 When researching programs near Westerville, prioritize those with pass rates consistently above the state average, and verify the most recent year’s data, since rates can shift.
Becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in Westerville, Ohio follows a clear path regulated by the Ohio Board of Nursing. Here is the step-by-step process from completing prerequisites to passing the NCLEX-PN.
Practical nursing offers a reliable entry point into healthcare, with steady demand across long-term care, home health, and outpatient clinics.
In 2024, Licensed Practical Nurses in the Columbus metropolitan area earned a median annual wage of $48,0001. This is notably below the statewide median of $61,000 for Ohio2 and the national median of $62,340.3 The local figure reflects the mix of employers, facility types, and cost of living in the region, but it still provides a stable foundation for a career that requires less than a year of full-time training.
Nationally, BLS projects a 3% growth rate for LPNs from 2024 to 2034, with about 54,400 annual openings3, many driven by the need to replace workers who retire or exit the field. While Ohio-specific projections are not broken out at the state level in the latest outlook, the national trend signals ongoing demand, especially in skilled nursing and community-based care settings that are common around Columbus.
Program-level earnings data for specific LPN schools near Westerville is not yet available in federal datasets, so direct post-completion salary comparisons aren’t possible. However, given the short duration of most LPN programs, graduates can begin earning quickly. When weighing program costs against the Columbus-area median wage, even entry-level LPN roles offer a rapid return on a modest educational investment, particularly for students who minimize debt.
Earning your RN license after working as an LPN is a practical path to higher pay and expanded clinical responsibilities.
Several schools within a short drive of Westerville offer LPN-to-RN bridge programs. Columbus State Community College offers an Advanced Standing Nursing pathway that allows LPNs to enter the associate degree program with credit for prior coursework. The program uses a blended format, common in many online LPN to RN programs, combining online and on-campus learning, and includes a prior learning assessment for some nursing courses. Central Ohio Technical College in Newark offers a campus-based LPN-to-ADN bridge that admits students by campus and term. Hondros College of Nursing, with a campus right in Westerville, delivers a bridge program designed to take about 12 to 18 months, building on your practical nursing foundation.
Bridge programs recognize the clinical experience and coursework you completed as an LPN. You typically skip the first semester or two of a traditional ADN program, leaving roughly 1-2 semesters of advanced nursing content, leadership, and clinical rotations. The final step is passing the NCLEX-RN to earn your RN license.
Moving from LPN to RN is not just a title change. Registered nurses in the Columbus metropolitan area earn significantly higher wages and have access to a wider range of job settings, from hospital acute care to specialty clinics. The investment of a bridge program often pays for itself through increased earning potential within the first year of employment.
Prospective LPN students often have questions about program length, costs, admission criteria, and career pathways. Below, we address the most frequent inquiries to help you make an informed decision about practical nursing education near Westerville, Ohio.
