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5 steps · MA
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
1 year of MA-approved practical nursing school + NCLEX-PN — your first nursing license.
Pay range
MA LPNs: $30–$42/hr ($60K–$85K/yr). Long-term care and corrections often pay the high end; school nursing trades pay for summers off.
What this job is
The honest version
LPNs are licensed nurses who work under the supervision of an RN or physician. In MA, you complete a Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) approved Practical Nursing program — typically 12 months full-time at a community college, vocational adult ed (Assabet, Greater Lowell, Shawsheen, etc.), or a private school. Then you sit for the NCLEX-PN national licensing exam. LPNs work mostly in long-term care, rehabs, doctor's offices, school nursing, and home care. It's a faster, cheaper path to a real nursing license than RN — and many LPNs use it as a paid bridge while finishing an RN program (many MA programs have LPN-to-RN tracks).
Is this you?
You'll fit if…
- You can handle the responsibility of giving medications and assessments
- You're a strong test-taker (NCLEX-PN is rigorous)
- You can commit to 12 months of full-time school + clinicals
- You enjoy nursing-level work — meds, wound care, IVs (where allowed) — more than aide work
What you'll do
Core skills
- Medication administration (oral, topical, IM, subcutaneous)
- Wound care and dressing changes
- Patient assessment and documentation in EHRs
- IV therapy (with an MA IV certification add-on)
- Care planning under RN supervision
- Patient and family education
What you'll need
Required certifications
Stand out
Things that give you a leg up
- MassReconnect — free MA community college tuition for adults 25+ without a degree
- Working as a CNA during LPN school — most programs allow part-time work
- MA IV Therapy certification (add-on after LPN) opens hospital and infusion jobs
- Bilingual in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, or Mandarin
Take a step
Learn more
- Pick 3 MA practical nursing programs and request info packets
- Check MassReconnect eligibility for free community college
- Take a TEAS practice test (most programs require the TEAS for admission)
- Talk to a working LPN about whether they'd pick LPN or go straight to RN today
Heads up
Real talk before you commit
- LPN scope is narrower than RN. Many MA hospitals are phasing LPNs out of acute care — long-term care and clinics are the main employers.
- Most LPNs eventually bridge to RN. Plan for it from the start (LPN-to-RN tracks save a year).
- NCLEX-PN has a 75–80% first-time pass rate. Plan a dedicated 4–6 week study period after graduation.