Before I potentially put myself into debt, is LPN school even worth it? I'm set to start a vocational LPN program in September that will cost almost $13,000. That amount doesn't even include loans I may have to take out to cover living expenses, since it was suggested we not work at all during the 10 months of the program. I also did a job search for LPN positions in my area, as well as most of the state, and I must say I'm rather disappointed. Not one hospital, that I looked at is hiring an LPN for anything other than home health care. I couldn't find any openings at all in anything other than home health and a few nursing homes and there seems to be almost no openings for those with less than 3 years experience as an LPN. Is the money and stress worth it?
Am I better off doing a CNA or PCT course that costs $2,000 and going back to the community college and getting my RN? Of course there's a two year wait list for the RN program , but I have tons of pre-reqs to do. The hospital in my town has tons of openings for PCT's and CNA's without experience. So it should be fairly easy to get a job.
I'm so confused on what to do, my ultimate goal is to be an RN. I just figured that going the LPN route would land me a good job so I could work my way through the RN program. If LPN jobs are hard to come by, then I'm just essentially wasting money that could be used on the RN program and a degree. I just can't seem to justify spending $13,000, of my own money, when there's a good chance I won't be able to find a job after I finish.
If anyone has any advice it would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank You! =]
i am from central new jersey and i made 60k my first year of being an lpn (2008).
i paid $3500 for my whole lpn program from a vo-tech school. my sister in law paid 18k for her lpn and she made about 50k last year.
i know two people who has bachelor's in something and one has no job and the other making 10 bucks an hour in a mall.
was the lpn worth it? definitely!
you're comparing apples to oranges here. you graduated right before the economy took a nose dive, in a time where sign-on bonuses and arguably inflated salaries for new grads were closer to the norm than they are now.
It depends on what state ur in. I'm in pa and my program was 12k which is the cheapest around where i love. But it included everything. I know other programs around here that's almost 30k so my program was worth it and fully accredited which is also very important
I'm in NW PA and every county Vo-tech here plus two over across the line in OH offer LPN programs that are 12 months and a total cost of $11,000 was the norm in 2009-2010, so it's probably higher now. In 2005-2006, the cost for LPN was $8000 - $9000, so I don't know where people can do it for only $5000 nowadays, unless it's New Mexico or someplace like that.
LPN pay in the Youngstown, OH area is averaging $15 / hour. Nursing homes in Beaver, Allegheny, and Washington counties of PA pay $18 - $20 / hour. We were told that LPNs will mainly be hired by nursing homes, and will be team leaders. But smaller hospitals here still use a RN/LPN/CNA team because it's less expensive than having RNs do everything. There's actually quite a high demand for LPNs here, because of the rural, aging, and lower socioeconomic locale.
Associate degree RN here will cost you a lot more money, and will take more time. Just to take only the nursing courses for AD RN would cost me $11,000, roughly.
I was told that LPN training focuses more on tasks.
OP I really agree with advice "mazy" has given you. Sometimes nursing home will train you in house to be a CNA and pay for you to take state certification exam and you get a paycheck. Look into being a CCHT at a dialysis center. Again if hired you will get on the job training and a paycheck. The CCHTs that I work with are great, with lots of experience and knowledge. When I started nursing I went the CNA, LPN, RN route. Good luck!
I made the mistake of going to a private school first and have over 10 thousand in debt from loans. I switched over to my local community college and am now taking the classes needed for RN the total costs of the program where I am at now is about 5-7 thousand which includes books, supplies etc. For me this is covered by aid since the cost is low for the classes, I wish I would of just went to my community college first! Don't make the mistake I made! Private, for profit colleges a big NO.! Avoid if you can, I am also getting a better education at my community college. Even the PCT program over here is just 1,000 with all books and supplies, I am in south Florida. Look around.
If your from NJ check some of the Vo-Tech schools, I did that before settling for the place I did for my LPN. My LPN degree is ALOT more expensive than 13000 I wish mine was that low I wish I could have went to PCCC for LPN or Essex County even, it would've been the cheaper route, but I would've had to quit my job which my husband and I couldn't afford. Good luck to you!!!
That does sound unreasonably expensive. The RN program I'm entering into costs about $13,000. The CNA summer program I took last year only cost $642 for tuition.
NJ LPN programs are outrageous!! The Vo-Tech rates are the best ones you will find. Private rates are worse, there bordering on the 25000-27000$ range. NJ is expensive.
Wow. I live in Central Illinois...but it still matters where you end up going. The university price is always higher than the local community college price, which is the route I took.
Are you attending OCVTS for your LPN? I came up with the same projected price for the program if you are. I'm from NJ too and planning on starting the program in September. I came to this site a few days ago to find some info on the same thing... I'm 45 looking for a career change, but really feel like that's TOO much money. My daughter graduated the LPN program at OCVTS a few years ago and it was ALOT cheaper.
LPN programs in NJ tend to be more expensive than those in other states, as do Patient Care Tech programs and CNA programs. Ocean County College charges almost $4,000 for their PCT program and Brookdale's CNA program is about $1,600.
I actually applaud you for not making a quick decision about this. You said you're under 24 so you're still young, it's really not worth it to put yourself into debt at your age. In my opinion since you're in your early 20's do the ADN program. You can work you're way through and most colleges have payment plans so you don't have to pay all at once.
$10,000 for Northern NJ back in 2005 when my program started. $13,000 is not a big difference considering that mine was priced 6 years ago! I do have to agree, you might as well go straight for ADN program. If not do your research on other schools in your area. Just a little heads up, you might want to really do your homework on your schools. Sometimes the easier to get in (w.o doing an entrance exam) tends to be the higher priced school than actually testing for the program. I am not saying it is usually a scam but I have heard of stories around Jersey that schools closed b/c the BON would not accredit it for so many reasons. Failure rates might be really high because the students were lacking knowledge and the teachers hired were inexperienced. Some just take your money and not even have the actual program. It's hard to believe but it does happen!
Specializes in pediatrics, geriatric, developmentally d.
i went to a private school costing 25k in CA after FAFSA i qualified for grants so all i had to pay back was 10k. I was working fulltime while in school as a DCS (direct care staff aka for HHA or PCT). Got hired where i was working after graduating worked there for 6 months at 17/hr now im an elementary school nurse making 20/hr. Now im working on getting my RN ADN/BSN which ever school accepts me first. CC costs are 5k im not sure what the University is however, i dont regret the route i took in my career, i got more experience from this route as well as connections.
I wish I could have went to PCCC for LPN or Essex County even, it would've been the cheaper route, but I would've had to quit my job which my husband and I couldn't afford. Good luck to you!!!
dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN
1,571 Posts
you're comparing apples to oranges here. you graduated right before the economy took a nose dive, in a time where sign-on bonuses and arguably inflated salaries for new grads were closer to the norm than they are now.
/don't know about your sil obviously