Nursing just might be the most rewarding career of all. (Shhh – don’t tell the other careers. They get so jealous.)
nurse stands next to simulation model
80%
Employed
80% of our recent graduates got a job in the industry.
88%
Student Satisfaction
88% of our recent graduates report they are satisfied with their Madison College education.
$51k
Annual Salary
Our recent graduates of this program reported an average starting salary of $51,444.

Ready to learn more?

If you’d like to learn more about the Practical Nursing program, we’d love to talk with you. We’re here to answer any questions and guide you through our application process step-by-step. Send us your contact information, and we’ll help you get started right away!

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Practical Nursing
Program Number: 315431
Your Degree:
Technical Diploma
Area of Study:
Health Sciences
Delivery Method:
100% In Person
Some Online/Some In Person
Estimated Time to Complete:
33 Credits | Finish diploma in 1.5 years
financial aid icon Financial Aid Available
question mark and dollar sign illustration
Partial Financial Aid
This program uses a Clock to Credit Conversion to determine financial aid status.
Estimated Tuition

$6,774.44

$4,824.60 Tuition
$1,711.84 Materials/Supplemental Costs
$238.00 Other Costs
  • Program Overview

    The Practical Nursing (PN) program at Madison College offers training for in-demand jobs in nursing and health care. Students learn from experienced nursing professionals in digital classrooms and modern labs.

    The Practical Nursing (PN) Program prepares graduates to provide basic hands-on nursing care needed by patients in a variety of health care settings. Practical nurses assist with data collection, develop and revise nursing care plans, reinforce teaching provided by RN's or other appropriate health care personnel, and participate as a member of the health care team in meeting basic client needs.

    This is an excellent career for people who enjoy working with people and caring for individuals with physical or emotional concerns. Students must be willing to learn, have effective communication and interpersonal skills, and have an interest in health care as a career.

    Please note that upon admission to the Practical Nursing program, you will be required to complete a background check and provide documentation of current required-immunizations and current Healthcare Provider CPR certification. Clinical placements in the Practical Nursing program may require drug testing.

    Program Details

    Wisconsin law requires background checks for persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to students in many School of Nursing programs. Please review the Caregiver Background Check information on the Health Sciences and Nursing Programs Forms and Policies.

    Students in the Practical Nursing program must attend full time.

    The Practical Nursing program is available at the Goodman South campus location in Madison, Wisconsin and the Fort Atkinson Campus and is approved as a candidate for initial accreditation by the:

    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
    3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, 404.975.5000 http://acenursing.org/

    ACEN Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

     

    The Madison College Practical Nursing (PN) program is approved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services to enroll students in a nursing program.

    Your Advantages at Madison College

    • Learn in leading-edge facilities. Nursing classrooms offer fully-functioning labs, using both low fidelity and simulated patient settings for hands-on learning.
    • Learn the skills, concepts and ethics of the nursing profession with nurse instructors from a wide range of professional backgrounds.
    • Be ready to take your career to the next professional level with Madison College. As an LPN, you may be eligible to advance your educational preparation to become a registered nurse.

    Earning your Practical Nursing technical diploma prepares you for professional work as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).

    Career

    After successful completion of the Practical Nursing Program, graduates may be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam, to become a Licensed Practical Nurse and practice as an LPN.

    Madison College Practical Nursing Degree 2021 Composite NCLEX Score: 90.91 percent (ACEN Standard 6)

    National Average: 83.08 percent

    Madison College Nursing programs prepare students to obtain the required licensure to be employed and practice in the state of Wisconsin. The College does not guarantee its curriculum matches the requirements for preparation, examination, or licensure for other states.

    Wisconsin participates in an enhanced, multi-state nursing licensure compact as of January 19, 2018. Multi-state nurses meet uniform licensure requirements for all participating states, meaning that nurses with a Wisconsin license may be eligible to practice nursing in the following states:

    • Alabama
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Idaho
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • New Hampshire
    • New Mexico
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming

    Please refer to the NCSBN website for current information related to licensure, employment and practice regulations in other states.

    For questions related to the enhanced nurse licensure compact (eNLC), contact dsps@wi.gov.

    Resources

    If you need assistance accessing this PDF document, please contact the School of Nursing at 608.246.6780.

    Study Nursing Near Home
    The Practical Nursing program is at our Fort Atkinson and Goodman South campuses.
  • Curriculum and Experience

    Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2023-2024 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.

    Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:

    • Progress toward your specific requirements
    • Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements

    If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.

    Pre-Program Courses
    30-543-300
    3 credits
    31-543-356
    2 credits
    31-501-153
    3 credits
    10-801-195
    3 credits
    10-801-196
    3 credits
    First Semester
    31-543-301
    2 credits
    31-543-302
    3 credits
    31-543-303
    2 credits
    Second Semester
  • Admission

    To Apply

    Students need to complete the petition process to get into core-program classes for this program. Before submitting an application, it’s important to review the Petition Process webpage which also includes estimated wait times for each program.

      • View the admission requirements for application deadlines, materials, and requirements
         
      • There is currently 1-3 semesters between acceptance into pre-program and the start of core classes. The estimated time to enter the core-program is subject to change based on the variable number of students ready to petition each semester.
         
      • Learn more about the Madison College experience and get help with the admissions process

      After Acceptance

      Once you have been accepted in a pre-program status, your next step is to complete the Petition Requirements. See the Petition information in the next section.    

      Additional Notes

      Students will be required to meet the current admission and petition requirements. Requirements must be amended any time accreditation requirements are updated or changed. Requirements may also be amended based on Madison College programmatic assessment data.

      Questions?

      Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

      apply for admission

      Get Started!

      Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Practical Nursing career.

      It's Free to Apply

    • Petition

      After Acceptance

      After you have been admitted into a pre-program status, complete all of the Petition Requirements for your program. Login to your student account and run a Degree Progress Report to review the Petition Requirements and see which requirements you have completed and which need to be satisfied. 

      Requirements vary by program, and may include some or all of the following:

      • Prerequisites (examples: Algebra, Geometry, Chemistry, Biology, English and Reading): This varies by program
      • Course Requirements (examples: Anatomy and Physiology, Intro to Psychology, etc.): This varies by program
      • Testing Requirement (examples: ACT, HESI, TEAS): This varies by program
      • Petition Workshop: This is done online and can be found in Blackboard after you have been admitted in a pre-program status

      You can view the Petition Requirements for this program using the links below.

      Fall 2022 and Spring 2023

      Fall 2023 and Spring 2024  

      After completing the petition requirements, students are then selected for entry into core program courses through the Petition Process.

      Questions?

      Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

    • Career Outcomes

      After completing the Practical Nursing program at Madison Area Technical College you will be able to: 

      1. Implement one's role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to caring, advocacy and quality care while adhering to evidence-based practice.

      2. Demonstrate appropriate written, verbal and nonverbal communication in a variety of clinical contexts.

      3. Integrate knowledge of social, mathematical and physical sciences, pharmacology, and disease processes while participating in clinical decision making. 

      4. Provide patient centered care under supervision by participating in the nursing process across diverse populations and healthcare settings.

      5. Minimize risk of harm to patients, members of the healthcare team, and self through safe individual performance and participation in system effectiveness. 

      6. Collaborate as an active member of the multidisciplinary health care team to provide effective patient care throughout the lifespan. 

      7. Use information and technology to communicate, manage data, mitigate error and assist with decision making. 

      • Graduate Summary

        Graduate Report Summary Overview

        202020212022
        Number of Program Graduates111313
        Number of Surveys Sent111313
        Number of Surveys Returned589
        Percent of Surveys Returned
        Available for Employment565
        Percent Available for Employment100.00%100.00%55.60%
        Not in Labor Market
        Percent Not in Labor Market0.00%33.30%44.40%
        Available for Employment

        202020212022
        Graduates Employed465
        Percent of Graduates Employed80.00%100.00%100.00%
        Employed in Related Occupation464
        Percent Employed in Related Occupation100.00%100.00%80.00%
        Employed in Unrelated Occupation001
        Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation0.00%0.00%20.00%
        Employed - No Response000
        Percent Employed - No Response0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Seeking Employment100
        Percent Seeking Employment20.00%0.00%0.00%
        Reaction To Training at Madison College

        202020212022
        Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4)3.43.73.3
        Number of Satisfaction Responses569
        Very Satisfied (4)245
        Percent Very Satisfied40.00%66.70%55.60%
        Satisfied (3)323
        Percent Satisfied60.00%33.30%33.30%
        Unsatisfied (2)000
        Percent Unsatisfied0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Very Unsatisfed (1)001
        Percent Very Unsatisfied0.00%0.00%11.10%
        Primary Reason for Attending Madison College

        202020212022
        Number of Primary Reason Responses589
        Preparation for Getting a Job203
        Percent Preparation for Getting a Job40.00%0.00%33.30%
        Career Change142
        Percent Career Change20.00%50.00%22.20%
        Improvement of Existing Skills120
        Percent Improvement of Existing Skills20.00%25.00%0.00%
        Preparation for Further Education124
        Percent Preparation for Further Education20.00%25.00%44.40%
        Personal Interest000
        Percent Personal Interest0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Other000
        Percent Other0.00%0.00%0.00%
        When Employment was Obtained

        202020212022
        Number of When Employment Obtained Responses465
        Before Enrollment110
        Percent Before Enrollment25.00%16.70%0.00%
        While Attending the College020
        Percent While Attending the College0.00%33.30%0.00%
        After Training at the College335
        Percent After Training at the College75.00%50.00%100.00%
        Location of Employment (related and unrelated)

        202020212022
        Number of Employment Location Responses455
        In College District455
        Percent In College District100.00%100.00%100.00%
        In Wisconsin, Not in District000
        Percent of In Wisconsin0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Outside of Wisconsin000
        Percent Outside Wisconsin0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Employer Location Unknown000
        Percent Location Unknown0.00%0.00%0.00%
        Salary Trend
        Salary Trend202020212022
        Full Time Employment (Related Job)Full Time Salary Count233
        Average Monthly Wage$3,956$4,365$4,287
        Average Hourly Wage$23.00$25.38$24.92
        Average Work Hours per Week404138.7
        Part Time Employment (Related Job)Part Time Salary Count211
        Average Hourly Wage$27.88$25.00$25.00
        Average Work Hours per Week253232
      • Graduate Employers

        Graduate Employers for academic year: 2022
        Employer(s)Job TitleCity*State**Positions
        Oakwood VillageLicensed Practical Nurse
        UW HealthLicensed Practical Nurse
        UW Health Rehabilitation HospitalLicensed Practical Nurse2

        * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.

        ** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.

        *** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu

    Ready to get started?
    Your first step is to apply to Madison College. It's easy and free to apply, so get started today!
    Contact the School of Nursing

    Madison Truax Campus
    Health Building, 103

    1705 Hoffman Street
    Madison, Wisconsin 53704

    nursing@madisoncollege.edu
    608.246.6780

    Hours

    • Monday – Thursday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
    • Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm (Virtual)