You can't go from CNA to LPN entirely online: every state-approved practical nursing program includes supervised clinical hours in person, and you must pass the NCLEX-PN exam to be licensed. What you can do online is much of the theory, through a hybrid program: lectures online, labs and clinicals at the school and at healthcare sites near you. Your CNA usually counts as an entry requirement rather than as credit, and the step up pays: licensed practical nurses earned a median $64,400 a year in May 2025, against $42,260 for nursing assistants (BLS).
How hybrid LPN programs work
In a hybrid practical nursing program, the classroom part (anatomy, pharmacology, nursing theory) is delivered online, live or on your own schedule, while skills labs, simulation and clinical rotations are in person. The mix varies by school. A few examples, in the schools' own words (program pages checked November 3, 2026):
| State | School and program | What's online |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | Jefferson Community and Technical College, Practical Nursing Diploma (Carrollton campus) | "complete lectures primarily online and attend labs/clinicals two-three nights during the week" |
| Mississippi | Holmes Community College, Practical Nursing – Hybrid Option | "The hybrid option offers lecture online. However, the lab and clinical portions are face-to-face on campus or at one of our local healthcare facilities." |
| Oklahoma | Great Plains Technology Center, Practical Nurse (Frederick) | "theoretical and curriculum-based portions of the program are delivered through asynchronous distance education" |
| Pennsylvania | United Career Institute, Online/Hybrid Practical Nursing | "Attend lecture classes from the comfort of your home while participating in hands-on lab experiences at the school or regional healthcare facilities." |
| South Dakota | Lake Area Technical College, LPN Full-Time or Part-Time Hybrid | "The hybrid e-degree combines online coursework with required in-person clinical and simulation experiences." |
| Washington | Edmonds College, Practical Nursing (part-time) | "Theory courses will be taught using online and hybrid (online and in class) instruction." |
Before you enroll anywhere, confirm the program is on your state board of nursing's approved list. Only an approved program qualifies you for the NCLEX-PN.
Does being a CNA count toward an LPN program?
Usually as a ticket in, not as credit. Many practical nursing programs require nurse aide training or certification before you start, so your CNA saves you a prerequisite:
- Madison College (Wisconsin) accepts proof of CNA certification for its practical nursing program's nursing assistant course requirement.
- Anoka Technical College (Minnesota) requires practical nursing applicants to have completed a state-approved nursing assistant course within a year or be current on the Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry.
Ask each school whether it gives any credit or shortened track for CNA experience; the ones above treat it as a requirement. Keep your CNA certification active while you study: in most programs you'll be working, and a lapse after 24 months without paid nursing work means retraining (42 CFR 483.35(d)(6)).
The NCLEX-PN and your license
After you graduate, your state board of nursing approves you to take the NCLEX-PN. In 2025, 86.6% of first-time, U.S.-educated candidates passed (47,470 of 54,818) (NCSBN, 2025 NCLEX statistics). Pass rates differ a lot by program, so compare the schools you're considering in GoLPN's table of NCLEX-PN pass rates by program, compiled from state board reports.
LPN programs are offered widely: in the 2024–25 school year, 985 institutions reported 55,090 practical nursing awards (first majors, CIP 51.3901) to the federal IPEDS survey (NCES, provisional data).
What LPNs earn compared with CNAs
| May 2025 | Median hourly | Median annual |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed practical and vocational nurses, all industries | $30.96 | $64,400 |
| LPNs in nursing care facilities | $33.86 | $70,430 |
| Nursing assistants, all industries | $20.32 | $42,260 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025: LPNs, nursing care facilities, nursing assistants.
Steps from CNA to LPN
- Keep your CNA certification active and get any experience the programs you like ask for.
- Finish the prerequisites (often a placement test, anatomy or math, and the CNA requirement).
- Choose a board-approved program, hybrid or on campus, with clinical sites you can reach.
- Complete the theory, labs and supervised clinical hours.
- Apply to your state board and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Sources
- OEWS profile, May 2025: 29-2061 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- OEWS May 2025: Nursing Care Facilities, 623100 (BLS)
- OEWS profile, May 2025: 31-1131 Nursing Assistants (BLS)
- 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics (National Council of State Boards of Nursing; June 2026)
- IPEDS 2024–25 Completions (C2025_A), CIP 51.3901 (National Center for Education Statistics; provisional release)
- School program pages: Jefferson CTC, Holmes CC, Great Plains Technology Center, United Career Institute, Lake Area Technical College, Edmonds College (viewed November 3, 2026)
- Madison College, Practical Nursing (undated, viewed November 2026) and Anoka Technical College, Practical Nursing admission guidelines (Fall 2026)
- 42 CFR 483.35, Nursing services (eCFR, current text, viewed November 2026)
Last reviewed November 2026. ThinkCNA doesn't run courses; the form matches you with schools near you.