State Info:
Colorado is one of the biggest states in the US and covers quite a large portion of the country. Because its reach is so wide there are a vast number of different scenes to see and sights to enjoy.
It is also one of the best states in which to study to be an LPN. There are a vast number of opportunities in this state for this field due to the high number of LPN jobs that have been created in recent times. An increase in the skills required in the medical sphere as well as an extended life expectancy rate across the nation has resulted in a higher demand for all health professionals.
Licensing Requirements
To become licensed as an LPN in Colorado you will have to have:
- A high school diploma
- A clear background and health status
- Graduated from an LPN school or program that is accredited with the Colorado state board of nursing
- Passed the licensing exam for the state of Colorado
It is essential that you complete both the theory and practical sides of the LPN program as you will not be equipped for either the state exam or real life if have not gathered these skills.
Exam Fee
As previously mentioned you will have to pass an exam in order to become an LPN. As with most other things in life this comes with a fee. The fees that you will have to pay for licensing in Colorado are:
- $200 to the examination company in order to sit the exam
- $88 to the Colorado state board of nursing (along with proof that you have completed an LPN program that is in fact certified by the Colorado State Board of Nursing)
This license will allow you to practice in Colorado as an LPN and you will be required to renew your license every two years.
Salaries
There are many advantages to becoming an LPN and one of the key advantages is that you will be able, with a few simple bridging courses, to upgrade your qualification to that of an RN. You can also move on from there to being a BSN. With this in mind it is interesting to note the average LPN salaries for each of these positions in the state of Colorado.
| Program | Hourly Rate | Annual Rate |
| LPN | $17.27 | $35990 |
| RN | $31.49 | $65482 |
| BSN | $30 | $63,876 |
Financial Aid Available
Many people elect not to study further simply because they don’t have the money required to do this. Consequently there are many people out there who would make great LPNs but who feel that they are unable to do what is needed to obtain this qualification. It is important to remember, however, that there are plenty of options available out there if you are looking for financial aid.
Start, for example, with FAFSA. FAFSA should be where you start when applying for financial aid for any nursing qualification. With FAFSA you will be able to see if there are any federal loans or grants available. The first step is to fill out the relevant forms. Once you have filled out these forms properly and sent them off to FAFSA you will receive feedback regarding what financial aid you are eligible for based on the information you provided in your form. In this regard you will need to know the difference between loans and grants:
- A loan is an amount of money that you are given for our studies that you will have to pay back
- A grant is an amount of money you are given for your studies that you do NOT have to pay back
FAFSA may return to you with a list of both loans and grants that you are eligible for. Consequently it is important that you first apply for the grants as this is obviously the more financially sensible choice for you to make.
Remember that you there are several other organizations that also offer grants and that would be willing to help you with your studies towards becoming an LPN. You would be surprised by the number of schools, hospitals and other organizations offer study grants to nurses wanting to qualify as LPNs. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that you take the time to consider all of the options in this regard. Do your research well and investigate what kind of loans and grants are out there for you to use. Don’t give up! You will find a way to fund your LPN studies.
However, as most grants are need based you may struggle to get a grant to fund your nursing studies. This means that you should look into scholarships. To a large degree scholarships are also need based, but your academic achievement will also play a role in this regard, meaning that you stand a higher chance of getting funding if you have a good academic record. You can apply for scholarships at nursing schools, nursing associations, community groups, and other sources. Scholarships should also be considered before you look at loans as, like grants, scholarships do not need to be repaid. In short, if you get a scholarship you will be able to study for your LPN qualification without any expense to yourself.
Even with a grant or scholarship you may not have enough money to cover all of the costs involved in your LPN program. If this is the case then you may have to apply for a loan to cover the rest of the costs. This is not as bad as applying for a loan to cover all of the costs as the amount will be a lot smaller and therefore a lot easier for you to repay. Another option is to find a program that offers a work and study package where you will be able to earn a bit of money to cover the extra cost, in some courses the work that you do may serve as a partial repayment for the course. However these opportunities are based on the needs of the students, so you may struggle to qualify for such a program.
When it comes to loans, which have to be paid back and with interest, there are two options available to you:
Federal loans: with a federal loan you will probably have to pay a lower interest rate, but remember that these loans have strict criteria that you may struggle to meet.
Private loans: these loans have higher interest rates but are often easier to get.
In most cases you will not be obliged to payback your loan until after you have finished studying, but your loan may accrue interest over this time.
Once you have finished your qualification and it comes time to pay back your loan you may want to consider a nursing loan forgiveness program. These programs offer to pay back a certain portion of your student loan. In return for this you will be required to work in a non-profit organization for a set period of time.
List of Schools
There are many schools in the state of Colorado where you will be able to complete your LPN qualification. However you must at all times ensure that the school you are hoping to study with is accredited and you should take the necessary steps when checking the schools background to make sure that everything is in order. The following schools offer LPN programs in the state of Colorado:
[edu-search]onlinelpn_state010101082691/co[/edu-search]
Academy of Medical & Health Sciences
1339 S. Pueblo Blvd. 100
Pueblo, CO 81005
(719) 565-0020
Concorde Career College
111 N. Havana Street
Aurora, CO 80010
(303) 861-1151
Delta-Montrose Technical College
1765 US Hwy 50
Delta, CO 81416
(970) 874-7671
Emily Griffith Opportunity School
1250 Welton St
Denver, CO 80204
(720) 423-4717
Front Range Community College—Boulder Arapahoe Campus
2121 Miller Drive
Longmont, CO 80501
(303) 678-3850; (303) 678-3646; (303) 678-3641
Mesa State College
1100 North Ave.
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970)248-1398
Northeastern Junior College
100 College St
Sterling, CO 80751
(970) 521-6701
Pickens Technical College
500 Airport Blvd
Aurora, CO 80011
(303) 344-4910
Pueblo Community College
900 W. Orman Ave
Pueblo, CO 81004
(719) 549-3409
San Juan Basin Technical College
33057 Highway 160
Mancos, CO 81328-9196
(970) 565-8457
There are many opportunities open to you to become an LPN in the state of Colorado. There are also many great schools, as you can see form the list that you will be able to choose from. However it is important to remember at all times that it is essential that the school you decide to study with is indeed accredited with the Colorado state board of nursing and that it has a good reputation in terms of whether or not it will sufficiently prepare you for both the exam and a career as an LPN. To ensure that the program is accredited you can check the Colorado state board of nursing website or inquire telephonically with a representative from the state board. Whatever method you choose to use, it is absolutely essential that you take this important step.
