You want a healthcare career that pays well, grows over time, and puts you directly in the room with patients. The Licensed Practical Nurse path gets you there faster than almost any other nursing route in Florida.
Here's everything you need to know — the actual requirements, the realistic timeline, and what the numbers look like when you're done.
What Does an LPN Actually Do?
LPNs provide direct patient care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians. In Florida, that means you can work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, rehab centers, home health agencies, schools, and physician offices.
Your daily work will include:
- Taking and recording vital signs
- Administering medications under physician orders
- Wound care and dressing changes
- Monitoring patient status and reporting changes to the RN
- Assisting patients with daily living activities
- Documenting patient care
It's a role that requires technical skill, attention to detail, and genuine compassion. If you're wired for that kind of work, the LPN path is a direct line to a career that matters.
Florida LPN Requirements
Before you enroll in any program, here's what Florida requires:
- Age: 18 years or older
- Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent
- Background check: Level II background screening required before clinical placement
- Health requirements: Physical examination, immunization records, TB test
- CPR certification: Basic Life Support (BLS) required before clinicals
- Program completion: Graduate from a Florida Board of Nursing-approved LPN program
- NCLEX-PN: Pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing
No prior healthcare experience required. The program teaches you everything you need.
How Long Does It Take?
At Coastal Technical Institute in Palm Bay, the LPN program takes 56 weeks — approximately 13 months with full-time attendance. That's 1,354 clock hours of combined classroom instruction and hands-on clinical training.
Compare that to community college programs, which often take 18 to 24 months when you factor in prerequisite courses, limited seat availability, and semester-based scheduling.
Start with the next LPN cohort, and you could be a licensed nurse in a little over a year.
What You'll Study
A Florida Board of Nursing-approved LPN curriculum covers:
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Pharmacology and medication administration
- Maternity and Pediatric Nursing
- Geriatric Nursing
- Mental Health Nursing
- Clinical hours in real healthcare settings
- NCLEX-PN examination preparation
The clinical component isn't simulated. You'll work in real patient care environments before graduation, which means day one of your actual nursing job won't feel like your first time in the room.
The NCLEX-PN: What You Need to Know
The NCLEX-PN is a computerized adaptive test that determines whether you have the minimum competency to practice safely as a Licensed Practical Nurse. You'll take it after graduating from your program.
The test adapts to your answers. If you answer correctly, the next question gets harder. Most students complete it in 85 to 150 questions, though the test can run up to 205.
Pass rates matter. CTI graduates passed the NCLEX-PN at 94.12% on the first attempt in 2025, compared to the national average of 86.06%. That gap isn't luck. It's preparation.
What LPNs Earn in Florida
The numbers are real:
- Starting salary in Brevard County: $42,000 to $62,000
- Florida median salary: $52,270 per year (BLS, May 2023)
- Job growth: 5% projected through 2032 (BLS)
Those aren't ceiling numbers. Experienced LPNs working in specialty settings, home health, or higher-demand markets earn significantly more. And if you decide to advance to RN through a bridge program later, your LPN experience makes you a stronger candidate.
What It Costs
CTI's LPN program costs $13,640 in total tuition. No hidden fees. CTI does not participate in federal Title IV financial aid, but payment plans are available.
Put it in context: the median starting salary for a Florida LPN is $52,270. Your tuition is covered in the first three months of your first paycheck. The math works.
How to Apply
The process is straightforward:
- Contact an admissions advisor at (321) 914-3041
- Meet for a program overview and Q&A
- Schedule a campus tour at 1470 Treeland Blvd SE, Palm Bay, FL
- Complete your application and submit required documents
- Confirm your seat in the next cohort
LPN cohorts run on their own schedule — call (321) 914-3041 to confirm the next start date. Seats are limited.
If a nursing career has been on your mind, the question isn't whether you can do this. The question is when you're going to start.
Ready to get started?
Next cohort starts November 9, 2026. Call (321) 914-3041 or apply online.
