Top vocational, career, and community colleges for nursing in Oklahoma

Vocational, career, and community colleges provide students with educational programs focused on a specific area of employment. Because community colleges are public institutions, many students later transfer their credits to university in order to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Vocational, career, and community colleges offer an efficient route for launching a nursing career. Licensed practical nursing (LPN) programs, for example, culminate in a certificate after just 12 to 18 months of study. LPN programs are available at nearly 50 schools throughout the state of Oklahoma, including the nine campuses of Kiamichi Technology Center. Associate's degree in nursing (ADN) programs require lengthier study, typically two to three years, to prepare students for licensure as a registered nurse (RN). Oklahoma has over 30 campuses offering ADN programs. Many of the state’s community colleges offer the ADN program on at least three distinct campuses, including the Eastern Oklahoma State College, Northern Oklahoma College, and Western Oklahoma State College systems.

Find a school

After graduates pass the relevant NCLEX test, they will join the ranks of Oklahoma’s 12,000 licensed practical nurses or its 26,000 registered nurses. The state’s LPNs typically earn an average of $37,000 per year, while its RNs have a median annual salary of almost $57,000. Oklahoma’s major healthcare providers are in constant need of newly minted nurses, including St. Anthony Hospital, Epworth Villa, and Supplemental Health Care.

For those keen on rapid entry into the nursing profession, we’ve listed below the top vocational, career, and community colleges for nursing throughout Oklahoma.