Florida runs one of the largest practical nursing pipelines in the country, spread across technical colleges, community and state colleges, and a smaller number of private schools. If you’re weighing an LPN as your entry point into nursing – rather than starting with a two-to-four-year RN degree – Florida offers dozens of Board of Nursing-approved programs concentrated in Miami-Dade, Broward, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Jacksonville, with additional options across the Panhandle and North Florida.
Fast-scan: LPN programs in Florida
| Detail | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Program length | 11–13 months full-time (1,300–1,350 clock hours); up to 18 months part-time |
| Program type | Certificate, not a degree |
| Where offered | Technical colleges, state/community colleges, a few private schools |
| Entrance exam | TEAS or HESI A2, depending on school |
| Typical total tuition (public) | $2,500–$9,000 |
| Licensing exam | NCLEX-PN |
| FL Board of Nursing application fee | $110 |
| Mean annual LPN wage in Florida | approximately $51,850–$54,300 (BLS-based estimates), below the national mean |
Where to find LPN programs in Florida
Florida’s practical nursing programs are split across three main institution types, and the differences matter for both cost and admissions timeline.
- Technical colleges (also called career/technical centers) are the backbone of Florida’s LPN pipeline. Schools like Atlantic Technical College (Broward County), Manatee Technical College, and Erwin Technical College (Hillsborough County) run practical nursing programs charged per clock hour rather than per credit, which is why their published tuition is often the lowest option statewide.
- State and community colleges also run practical nursing certificate programs, sometimes as a standalone credential and sometimes as the first step toward an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at the same institution. Florida Gateway College and Palm Beach State College are examples of this model.
- Private and proprietary schools exist throughout the state, typically with faster enrollment cycles and higher tuition than public options.
This is a starting point, not a full directory. For a broader look at Florida nursing education across all program levels – including ADN and BSN pathways – see our Florida nursing schools guide.
Admission requirements for Florida LPN programs
Requirements vary by school, but most Florida practical nursing programs share a common admissions pattern:
- High school diploma or GED
- TEAS or HESI A2 entrance exam, with the minimum passing score set by each individual school – for example, some technical colleges require a TEAS composite score in the high 50s to low 60s (percentage terms), while others use HESI A2 instead
- Criminal background check and drug screen, since Florida law requires Level 2 background screening before clinical placements
- Current immunization records (MMR, varicella, Hepatitis B, TB test)
- CPR certification, typically BLS for Healthcare Providers through the American Heart Association
Because technical colleges and community colleges set their own entrance exam cutoffs independently, it’s worth confirming the exact score requirement with each program you’re applying to rather than assuming a single statewide standard.
How long Florida LPN programs take
Most Florida LPN programs run 11 to 13 months full-time, built around roughly 1,300 to 1,350 clock hours of classroom instruction, skills lab, and clinical rotation time. This lines up closely with the national pattern for genuine one-year LPN tracks. Some technical colleges also offer evening, hybrid, or distance-education formats that extend the timeline to as long as 18 months for students who need to keep working while they study.
Because Florida’s technical colleges use clock-hour scheduling rather than academic semesters, program start dates and pacing can vary more than they do at traditional community colleges – some schools admit new cohorts multiple times a year, which can shorten your wait to enroll compared to a once-a-year fall-semester start. For a deeper breakdown of how “1 year” programs can hide extra prerequisite time nationwide, see our 1-year LPN programs guide.
Cost of LPN programs in Florida
Florida LPN tuition is generally lower than the national average because so much of the state’s practical nursing capacity sits inside the technical college system, which charges by the clock hour rather than by credit:
| Program type | Typical total cost |
|---|---|
| Technical college (Florida resident) | $2,500–$4,500 |
| Technical college (out-of-state resident) | $10,000–$16,000 |
| State/community college certificate program | $3,500–$9,000 |
| Private or proprietary school | $12,000–$20,000+ |
The gap between resident and non-resident technical college tuition is large – some schools charge roughly four times the per-hour rate for out-of-state students – so Florida residency status matters more here than it does at many community colleges nationally. These figures cover tuition and fees only. Budget an additional $1,500–$3,000 for textbooks, uniforms, liability insurance, background screening, immunizations, and NCLEX-PN exam costs.
Florida Board of Nursing requirements for LPN licensure
The Florida Board of Nursing (FBON), part of the Florida Department of Health, oversees LPN licensure statewide. To practice as an LPN in Florida, you must:
- Graduate from an FBON-approved practical nursing program, or from a program accredited by the ACEN or CCNE with an NCLEX code issued by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Internationally trained candidates and military nursing program graduates have separate equivalency pathways.
- Submit your licensure application and fee through the Board’s online portal. The application fee is currently $110.
- Complete electronic fingerprinting through a Livescan provider approved by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). This searches both Florida and national criminal history records, and applicants bear the cost of fingerprinting themselves.
- Register with Pearson VUE, the state’s contracted testing vendor, and pay the NCLEX-PN exam fee (currently $200) separately from the Board application fee.
- Wait for your Authorization to Test (ATT) once the Board confirms your eligibility, then schedule your NCLEX-PN exam date with Pearson VUE.
- Pass the NCLEX-PN. Once passing results reach the Board, initial licensure is typically issued within 7–10 days.
Florida requires candidates who fail the NCLEX three times at the same level (RN or LPN) to complete a Board-approved remedial training program, including classroom and clinical components, before a fourth attempt is permitted.
Florida participates in the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) at the RN and LPN level as of the enhanced compact Florida joined in 2018. That means a Florida LPN license issued to a Florida resident is a multistate license, letting you practice in other NLC-member states without a separate license application.
LPN-to-RN bridge options in Florida
Florida has an active LPN-to-RN bridge market, reflecting how many students use the LPN credential as a stepping stone rather than an end point. Bridge programs credit prior LPN coursework and clinical hours toward an ADN or BSN, typically shortening the additional time required to somewhere in the range of 12 to 18 months rather than starting a full RN program from scratch. Several of Florida’s technical colleges and state colleges that offer standalone LPN programs also run LPN-to-RN or LPN-to-BSN bridge tracks on the same campus, which can simplify the transition if you plan to advance later.
For a full breakdown of how bridge programs work nationally – ADN bridge versus direct-entry BSN versus LPN-to-BSN – see our LPN-to-RN bridge programs guide.
What Florida LPNs earn
Wage-estimate services drawing on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data put the mean annual wage for LPNs in Florida somewhere in the $51,850–$54,300 range, or roughly $25 per hour – below the national mean annual wage for the occupation, which recent BLS data places above $60,000. Florida’s lower cost of living in much of the state outside South Florida and the absence of a state income tax offset part of that gap in practical take-home terms.
Florida employs a large LPN workforce relative to other states, reflecting steady demand across long-term care facilities, home health agencies, assisted living communities, physician offices, and school health settings – demand driven in part by the state’s large retiree population and continued in-migration.
LPN in Florida vs. LPN programs in Texas
If you’re comparing states rather than committing to Florida specifically, it’s worth knowing that Texas and California use the title “LVN” (Licensed Vocational Nurse) for the identical credential, training, and licensing exam that Florida and most other states call “LPN.” Program length, cost structure, and the general admissions pattern (entrance exam, background check, immunizations) are broadly similar between the two states, though Florida leans more heavily on technical colleges with clock-hour tuition, while Texas concentrates more programs inside its community college system. See our LPN programs in Texas guide for a side-by-side comparison if you’re weighing options in both states.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become an LPN in Florida?
Most Florida LPN programs run 11 to 13 months full-time, covering roughly 1,300 to 1,350 clock hours. Part-time, evening, or distance-education formats can extend the timeline to about 18 months.
How much does LPN school cost in Florida?
Florida resident tuition at technical colleges typically runs $2,500–$4,500, among the lowest in the country because of clock-hour pricing. State and community college certificate programs run roughly $3,500–$9,000, and private schools run $12,000–$20,000 or more. Add $1,500–$3,000 for books, uniforms, background screening, and exam fees at any program type.
Do Florida LPN programs require the TEAS or HESI exam?
Most do. Requirements and minimum scores vary by individual school – some Florida technical colleges use the ATI TEAS, others use the HESI A2 – so confirm the specific cutoff with each program rather than assuming a single statewide standard.
Is a Florida LPN license valid in other states?
Yes, for Florida residents. Florida is a Nursing Licensure Compact member state, so a Florida LPN license issued to a Florida resident functions as a multistate license, valid for practice in other NLC-member states without a separate application.