As soon as we graduate from school, the first thing we want next is a job.
And we have the right to do so because we’ve invested so much in our education.
But isn’t it amazing to be able to find both without having to move an inch from the state you’re in?
Well, this is possible if you pursue a Nursing career in Wisconsin.
According to the Bureau Labor of Statistics, in Bloomington, which is a metropolitan area in Wisconsin, you can find the highest frequency of LPN employment.
Since the older generation has been replaced with the new, LPN positions are free in the state.
Simultaneously, many nurses are seeking approved LPN programs from the state to enroll in and get a license.
The number of Nursing schools, however, is relatively small.
In Wisconsin, you can find over 8 LPN schools, located in community colleges, vocational as well as private schools.
All of these offer LPN programs of any kind.
If you want to know more about them, I can tell you about the salary.
The hourly wage for an LPN in this state is $20.74.
The annual wage if $43,140.
The two of these sums together make up $890 less in the wage than the national average in the US yearly.
Table of Contents
Details on Wisconsin LPN Schools & Classes
Above, I mentioned to you the 8 LPN schools around Wisconsin.
But you need to know more to be convinced that they’re worth attending your classes in.
First and foremost, plan your time.
LPN programs in these schools take one to two years to finish.
However, you can take your classes part-time or full-time.
Secondly, you have a variety of courses to enroll in these programs.
There are mainly classroom and clinical learning experience courses.
But you have other options as well, such as the following:
- Introduction to Clinical Care Practice
- General Anatomy & Physiology
- Nursing Fundamentals
- Nursing Skills
- Nursing Pharmacology
- Clinical Care Across the Lifespan
- Developmental Psychology
Accreditation
Accreditation is crucial to an acceptable and reputable school.
For this reason, you should always pay attention to these criteria, when looking for an LPN school in Wisconsin.
Accreditation ensures that the programs in the school are taught at high-quality standards.
In this state, two organizations are in charge of finding accrediting programs for the students.
Therefore if you happen to be there, you can contact the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, as well as the Wisconsin Board of Nursing.
Both will help you.
Admission Requirements
Before entering an LPN school, there’s a way you have to go through first.
This way is fulfilling the requirements of admission, which are different from the school to school.
But most of them are mainly these:
- Completion of high school or GED program (including transcripts)
- Cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all relevant coursework including prerequisite courses
- Completion of all prerequisite courses, such as college-level Math, English I and Basic Physiology & Human Anatomy
- Standardized Test Scores, such as the ACT or TEAS V exam
- Personal interview
- Background check, drug screen and proof of required immunizations
- Submission of a completed application and associated fees
Tuition and Costs
Choosing an LPN program in Wisconsin seems quite a big deal.
What makes it such is the cost of it and how much the student can afford it.
In general, every LPN school has its own financial demands.
However, the student is in charge of paying for tuition, mandatory college course fees and textbooks.
After that, students should also consider paying for housing and commuting to classes.
Whereas, for students who cannot manage to make payments, various schools offer financial aids, loans, and scholarships to start over with their LPN studies.
An example of this additional provision for students in the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.
This College is a 2-year Associate Degree in Nursing Program.
Its total cost for pursuing LPN studies is $10,430.
In this box, however, material costs are not included.
But anywhere else, these vary from $250 to $2,500 per semester.
Wisconsin LPN Licensing Requirements
From other LPN requirements, the essential one is completing a nursing program that is approved by the state.
As soon as the candidate is done with that, he or she can move on with the NCLEX-PN exam.
This exam is mostly taken to prove the proficiency of the candidate.
Gaining the state license in Wisconsin requires some conditions.
The following documents are some of these conditions:
- Official transcript from the state-approved nursing program
- Proof of passing score of the NCLEX exam
- Fingerprints submitted digitally to the state
- Authorization for release of FBI information form to check criminal history
Let’s not forget that LPN licenses have an expiration date.
They usually expire every 30th of April, of every odd-numbered year.
The renewal demands completion of a Nursing Workforce Survey as well as the Report State of Primary Residency forms with the state to make the renewal.
NCLEX Exam Information
NCLEX-PN exam is crucial to licensure.
But before taking that step, the previous coursework you take at the program at school should prepare you for it gradually.
Despite that, there is also a practice NCLEX-PN exam you can take before taking the final one.
LPN Reciprocity and eNLC
Wisconsin is part of the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (ENLC).
This compact makes it possible for nurses to work in many states other than their own.
These states should be part of the eNLC compact.
To do so, nurses do not need another licensure.
However, the nurse needs to register Wisconsin as the place he or she is residing in as long as he/she works there.
LPNs can apply for licensure by means of an endorsement.
They can do that by submitting proof of current licensure.
They should also have passed the NCLEX exam.
In addition, applicants must also submit these documents:
- Fingerprints submitted digitally to the state
- Authorization for release of FBI information for criminal background check
Applicants from other states who have a similar LPN background can apply for a license in Wisconsin.
Before that, the applicant must send an approval from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).
This approval must contain a transcript review of the finished course-by-course, as well as proof of English proficiency.
If the applicant has not yet undergone the NCLEX-PN exam, he or she should do so immediately.
The Best LPN Schools in Wisconsin
There are five LPN programs you can attend in Wisconsin.
These five are the to-ranked ones in the state.
So, I suggest you consider them first due to their high status of education.
School Name Address Fox Valley Technical College 1825 N. Bluemound Drive, Appleton, WI 54912 Herzing University - Brookfield 15895 W. Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI 53005 Herzing University - Kenosha 4006 Washington Rd, Kenosha, WI 53144 Lakeshore Technical College 1290 North Ave, Cleveland, WI 53015 Northeast Wisconsin Technical College 2740 W Mason St, Green Bay, WI 54307
LPN Salaries in Wisconsin
LPN salaries in this state vary from place to place.
But that’s not the only factor.
There are others such as work experience, skills, education and so on.
So, it is upon you and how much you prepare in your profession that determines how much you warn.
Annual Salary Range:Location Avg. Annual Salary Milwaukee $48,342 Madison $48,064 Green Bay $46,857 Kenosha $47,888 Racine $47,888 Appleton $46,867 Waukesha $48,159 Oshkosh $46,564 Eau Claire $45,209 West Allis $46,933 Regional Salary in Wisconsin
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Appleton, WI 280 $56,780 $27.3 $71,170 $48,440 Eau Claire, WI 290 $55,840 $26.84 $66,080 $48,930 Fond du Lac, WI 120 $57,120 $27.46 $65,380 $48,670 Green Bay, WI 520 $54,150 $26.04 $61,480 $48,020 Janesville-Beloit, WI 170 $56,970 $27.39 $66,220 $48,170 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN 200 $57,010 $27.41 $63,420 $49,930 Madison, WI 600 $58,550 $28.15 $69,550 $50,060 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,830 $59,220 $28.47 $73,910 $49,620 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 240 $54,570 $26.24 $62,870 $46,580 Racine, WI 170 $58,120 $27.94 $72,860 $49,960 Sheboygan, WI 140 $55,670 $26.77 $62,550 $49,700 Wausau, WI 170 $53,310 $25.63 $61,470 $42,000
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.