Top LPN Programs in Alabama

Alabama LPN Schools, License Requirements, Salary, and Job Outlook

The state of Alabama encourages nursing individuals to shape their career through professional development & excellence and bring welfare to the entire community. A great number of opportunities are there for nurses in this state. A growth of 16% in the employment of LPNs is estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the year 2024. However, in May 2015, a hike of 3.6% was reported by the BLS in Alabama. You can apply for the LPN license either via exam or endorsement (if you are moving to Alabama from another state).

To become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), you first need to select the best-suited and approved LPN school in Alabama that provides quality education with a special focus on the integrity of the students. There are various types of colleges that offer LPN courses including technical colleges, community colleges, and private institutes. After a keen review of the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) exam pass rate, we have ranked top nursing schools in Alabama accredited by the Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN).

LPN Programs in Alabama

OUR METHODOLOGY +

A nursing school ranks on the top according to the following criteria-

• Higher Passing Rate of Alumni in NCLEX
• Financial Aid that a school provides
• Higher number of students

The nursing schools were then included in the ranking on the basis of following factors-

• Well-developed Architecture
• Better Infrastructure
• Superior Technology
• Ranking in US News and World Report
• Teachings offered by world-class faculty
• Inclusion of world-class facilities
• World-class Opportunities

We hope that the list will help you to opt the best college as per your preferences in the state. The programs available in these colleges will give you an opportunity to begin your journey as a successful nurse.

Licensure by Examination

After completion of the nursing program accredited by the Alabama Board of Nursing, you need to clear the NCLEX-PN exam to get the LPN license. An applicant is required to submit the following in order to apply for a licensure:

• Licensure by Exam application
• An $85 Application Fee, $3.50 Transaction Fee, and $50 Temporary Permit Fee via debit or credit card
• Proof of the Legal Presence/Citizenship of the United States
• Social Security Number
• Name, address, and birth date proof
• Your graduation date and nursing school's program code
• An official transcript from your nursing school in a sealed envelope (the Board will not accept faxed transcripts)

While applying, keep in mind that your name on the application should match the same as on the identifications you will provide.

For applying online for licensure by examination in the state of Alabama, click here.

Aspirants who did their graduation from a nursing school out of the United States need to submit the following documents in order to gain the license-

• Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Certification Program (CP) – It is one of the most important documents that candidates are asked to submit. It must demonstrate that you have passed one of the accepted English language proficiency exams and CGFNS Qualifying Exam.
• Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report – The CES Professional Report incorporates a detailed evaluation of credentials earned at various levels of nursing education, received outside the U.S., as per specific state's requirements.

Licensure by Endorsement

Apart from the above requirements (licensure by examination), the aspirants are expected to fulfill the below-mentioned requisites as well:

• Complete your LPN course from a nursing school that meets the educational standards equivalent to the nursing program of Alabama.
• Submit documents that depict completion of 24 hours of CE within the past 2 years.
• Request your original state of licensure to submit verification of your LPN license to the Alabama Board of Nursing.

There are 2 methods of verification:
1. Through Nursys- Visit the site of Nursys to find out if your original state of licensure participates in Nursys verification service. If so, request verification as per instructions on the site.
2. Verification Form- If your original state of licensure does not participate in Nursys verification service, you need to request via verification form.

In order to apply online for licensure by endorsement in the state of Alabama, click here.

Alabama Nursing License Renewal

LPN license in Alabama remains valid for two calendar years. All Licensed Practical Nurses can renew their license only in odd years from 1st September to 30th November. The renewal fee is $78.50 ($3.50 online fee + $75.00 renewal fee). If you fail to renew the license on time, you will have to pay additional $150.00 as late renewal fee (from 1st December to 31st December).

Reinstatement of the LPN License in Alabama

For reinstatement, you need to fulfill the following requirements:

1. 1. You must be a legal resident or citizen of the US.
      • Citizens of the US can download the form from here.
      • Non-citizens can download the form from here.

Submit the relevant form with requisite documents to the Alabama Board of Nursing.

1. Submit online application along with the fees.
2. Submit the reinstatement fee.
   • For Lapsed- A reinstatement fee of $225 and transaction fee of $3.50
   • For Revoked- $750
   • For Retired-(i) Within 2 years of retired status- $575
     (ii) After 2 years of retired status- $225
   • For Deployed- $75
3. Before submission of the application, the applicants must complete 24 contact hours of CE within past 2 years.

Average Annual Salary of Practical Nurses in Alabama

Practical nursing professionals are paid quite well all over the United States of America. In the state of Alabama, according to indeed.com, the average salary of these nurses was $52,000 per annum (as of April 23, 2016). As per the report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mean annual and hourly wages of LPNs were $36,100 and $17.36, respectively.

Information Source: indeed.com (as of April 23, 2016)

From the above table, it can be concluded that the highest salary (i.e. $58,000) in Alabama was of Psychiatric Nurses, while the lowest paid professionals were the Patient Care Technician Students with $17,000 per annum.

Average Annual Salaries of LPNs in Various Cities of Alabama

Information Source: salary.com (as of July 29, 2016)
The above table shows that the highest paying cities for LPNs were Huntsville and Tanner with $43,677 per annum. On the other hand, Florence paid the least salary (i.e., $37,418) to these professionals.

Job Outlook

As per the BLS (as of May 2015), 14,200 LPNs were employed in the state of Alabama. A hike of 16% in the employment opportunities for licensed practical nurses in the US by the year 2024 is anticipated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurses who are willing to work in medically underserved and rural areas will have bright prospects. Outpatient care centers, hospitals, extended care facilities and nursing homes are among the top employers for these professionals. By working overtime and during weekends, LPNs can add to their income. Moreover, they can pursue higher education by opting LPN to RN transition program.

Visit – Sample NCLEX-PN Practice Test Questions