Best Online LPN Programs in West Virginia (WV)
Online LPN programs in WV offer a blend of hands-on training and online coursework, allowing you to become a nurse at you own pace and on your own schedule.
Nursing is an honorable profession that’s constantly in demand throughout the U.S., particularly in rural areas like those that make up a large part of West Virginia. Hospitals in these areas need nurses more than other parts of the country because they serve larger geographic areas and are often their patients’ only option. Becoming a licensed practical nurse is a big responsibility, but it is a rewarding choice that prepares you to launch a career truly helping those in your community.
To get started, you’ll need to attend a reputable school with a comprehensive LPN program. Online LPN programs in WV offer the best of both worlds: virtual courses you complete on your own schedule and hands-on training necessary to learn the skills to get through nursing school, pass your exams, and provide excellent care to patients.
The two colleges featured below offer a blend of in-person and online education that many students find meets their needs. If you want or need to work while pursuing your degree, these schools can help you do that. We outline the online LPN programs in WV and the requirements necessary to get accepted so you can choose the option that best fits into your life. Keep reading to take the first step toward your nursing career.
Profiling Popular LPN Programs Online in West Virginia
Given its size, the Mountain State has fewer available online LPN programs than some of its more populous counterparts. What it lacks in quantity, however, it more than makes up for in quality; the two options featured below are offered through affordable, reputable colleges. They provide hands-on training and comprehensive support to ensure you get the skills you need to work in the healthcare setting of your choice.
West Virginia Junior College
West Virginia Junior College (WVJC) offers a hybrid practical nursing program that involves online courses paired with clinical experience and classes at the Bridgeport campus. At the end of the program, students are eligible to take the licensing exam to become LPNs.
As students learn the basics of becoming an LPN, their courses teach performing physical assessments, caring for wounds, processing medical records, performing lab tests, and more. To get hands-on experience, students choose from one of the following locations to do their clinical training: United Hospital Center, Clarksburg-Highland Hospital, Fairmont Health and Rehab, Grafton City Hospital, or West Virginia University Medicine.
In addition to its hybrid nursing degree program, WVJC offers an online or hybrid associate nursing degree as well. Designed to meet students where they’re at, this degree lets students complete required nursing courses online, all while participating in laboratory requirements with the help of the college’s mobile nursing lab and local healthcare facilities.
WVJC holds multiple accreditations, including that of the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, and has gained approval from the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses.
West Virginia Northern Community College
West Virginia Northern Community College teaches everything you need to know to become a licensed LPN. Through its Licensed Practical Nursing program, students learn the necessities to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to all patients.
The program reviews how to provide care to diverse groups of patients, advocate for patients with their doctors, and provide safe, effective care that makes a difference. The entire program consists of 36 credits beyond the prerequisites. Those prerequisites English composition, medical terminology, and anatomy & physiology I and II.
On top of these courses, you’ll need to satisfy a few other admission requirements to gain acceptance into the program. Students must submit a resume, have a GPA of at least 2.5 from high school or college, and pay a $25 application fee.
West Virginia Northern Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
A Closer Look at LPN Licensing Requirements in WV
To become a nurse in West Virginia, you’ll need to meet licensing and other legal requirements before you can officially practice. Outside of getting your degree, you’ll need to complete the following before landing a job as an LPN.
Background Check
To be licensed as an LPN in West Virginia, you’ll need to complete a background check. You’ll begin by scheduling an appointment to be fingerprinted through IdentoGO, which requires you to provide a unique service code supplied by your hiring or licensing agency.
Your appointment typically lasts ten minutes. You’ll be asked to provide one form of identification, then you’ll go through the fingerprinting process so your prints are on record for any potential employers.
Education and Training
To become an LPN, you’ll need to complete one of the state-approved online LPN programs in WV, which include both coursework and laboratory studies. While some schools (like the ones above) offer online coursework well-suited for busy students, every nursing student will need to complete in-person, hands-on training as well. Students typically choose from a variety of medical settings, from clinics to hospitals to rehab centers.
Students often complete their courses at the same time they’re completing their hands-on training and are then eligible to take licensing exams. Some programs offer fast tracks that allow you to finish in six to nine months.
Professional Nursing Examination
To be licensed as an LPN in West Virginia, you’ll need to pass the West Virginia state licensing exam for practical nurses, which is the NCLEX-PN. You can only take this exam once you’ve completed your educational training.
To register for the exam, you’ll need to request an application from the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses. This application can be completed online through the board’s Nurse Portal. Once your application is submitted and approved, you’ll register with Pearson VUE, the testing vendor, and pay the registration fee of $200.
Renewal of Licensure & Continuing Education
LPNs in West Virginia must renew their licenses every year. To keep up their skills, LPNs are also required to complete 24 hours of continuing education training every two years. Two of the hours must address mental health conditions common to veterans and their dependents. Three of the hours must be on end-of-life care, which is a one-time requirement.
West Virginia LPNs Career and Income Potential
The demand for LPNs in West Virginia is booming. This is evident in a job growth rate that’s 5.6% higher than the overall U.S. growth rate of 9.3%. From 2020-2030, 590 LPN job openings will be up for grabs in West Virginia every year. Across the country, over 60,000 LPN job openings will become available between 2020-2030.
The average salary for an LPN in West Virginia is roughly $44,000 per year — Beckley, WV, has the lowest median pay of $41,660, while the Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH, area has the highest average pay at $47,780.
Salaries for WV LPNs in the 90th percentile easily exceed $50,000. Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, has the lowest pay in this percentile at $51,980; cities across the state battle it out for the highest pay, with many hitting over $57,000 for experienced LPNs, and Morgantown ultimately taking the cake at $57,660.
Newer LPNs typically make a lower wage, often in the upper $30,000 range. Newcomers in the Charleston, WV, area tend to make the most, with the 10th percentile making about $38,880. Beckley, WV, has the lowest pay rate for the 10th percentile at $36,500, on average.
| Area | Employment (2020) | New Jobs (2020-2030) | Job Growth Rate | Avg. Annual Openings (’20-’30) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 6,160 | 920 | 14.9% | 590 |
| U.S. | 688,100 | 63,800 | 9.3% | 60,700 |
Source: Projections Central
| Location | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $37,120 | $ 44,410 | $ 57,660 |
| Beckley, WV | $36,500 | $ 41,660 | $ 52,920 |
| Charleston, WV | $ 38,880 | $ 44,410 | $ 57,250 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $ 37,590 | $ 46,000 | $ 56,560 |
| Morgantown, WV | $ 37,770 | $ 44,950 | $ 57,660 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $ 37,200 | $ 44,580 | $ 51,980 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $ 38,140 | $ 47,780 | $ 57,270 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $ 38,320 | $ 46,780 | $ 57,580 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Resources for West Virginia LPN Students and Professionals
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners: The American Association of Nurse Practitioners helps LPNs stay up to date on policy and related news, with a specific chapter for West Virginians.
- Future of Nursing West Virginia Action Coalition: The Future of Nursing West Virginia Action Coalition works to create a healthier working environment for West Virginia nurses through education and leadership. Part of a network of nursing and healthcare professionals, the organization’s goal is a healthier America. Through this coalition you can access a wealth of resources, from studies and toolkits to webinars.
- West Virginia Libraries Medical Test Prep: The West Virginia library system has a webpage dedicated to test prep resources for the NCLEX. It offers a catalog of books that students in online LPN programs in WV can check out and indicates which libraries carry them. There’s also the ExamMaster online resource within the library system that nursing students can register for and use to study for their exams.
- West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA): The WVNA website has a long list of resources any nurse in West Virginia can take advantage of. The site provides a list of upcoming events in the nursing community, legislative actions that apply to healthcare and the nursing industry, a section for students looking for career opportunities, and a dedicated career center for LPNs to find jobs.
- West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program:The West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program is a helpful resource for potential and current students in online LPN programs in WV to find scholarships. You’ll find scholarship and aid opportunities for LPNs, LPNs becoming RNs, and nurses seeking certain teaching certificates, as well as master’s and doctoral nursing students. To be eligible for a scholarship through this program, students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited West Virginia nursing program. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and be halfway done with their nursing program.
- West Virginia RN Board: This state agency website compiles a set of resources for continuing education, licensure and verification, and more. WV LPNs can take advantage of links to background check information and nursing shortage study commission reports, among others, to stay up to date on the latest policies and practices.
