Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire licensed practical nurses to provide basic patient care such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assisting with daily needs under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
Getting in
What MiraCosta College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Transcripts
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Immunizations
Active California CNA certificate required to apply, plus NURS151 (or BIO210/BIO220) and NURS100 Basic Pharmacology with C or better, proof of high school graduation, SSN or ITIN; background check, urine drug screen, COVID-19 and annual flu vaccination before starting. Application opens in SURF the first week of February; complete applicants enter a lottery; part time cohorts start Fall 2026 and Fall 2028, full time cohorts Summer 2026 and Summer 2027. $3,500 is the college's cost estimate; 95.24% is the 2024-25 NCLEX pass rate from the nursing department page.
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Prerequisites
The prerequisites you'll need to meet to apply to this program at MiraCosta College. Open a category to see each one.