How to Get Your LPN License in Arkansas (2026)

## How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Arkansas Arkansas has a significant rural healthcare access challenge, and LPNs are essential to bridging that gap, in SNFs, home health agencies, critical access hospitals, and physician practices across the state. Here's your complete guide to earning and maintaining an Arkansas LPN license in 2026. ### Step 1: Complete an Accredited Practical Nursing Program To sit for the NCLEX-PN in Arkansas, you must complete a practical nursing program approved by the **Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN)**. Programs accredited by **ACEN** meet this requirement, as do ASBN-approved certificate programs offered through community colleges and vocational-technical schools. Arkansas's two-year community college system (Arkansas Community Colleges) operates multiple LPN programs across the state. Programs typically run **12-18 months** and cover: - **Anatomy, physiology, and microbiology**, foundational sciences - **Pharmacology**, drug safety, dosage calculations, high-alert medication protocols - **Clinical nursing skills**, wound care, IV therapy, catheter care, vital signs, basic assessment - **Long-term care nursing**, especially relevant given Arkansas's rural SNF landscape - **Clinical rotations**, in hospitals, SNFs, and community health settings throughout the state Notable program hosts include programs affiliated with UAMS, Arkansas State University Mid-South, and Baptist Health Schools Little Rock. ### Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-PN Exam After program completion, the ASBN reviews your application and issues an Authorization to Test (ATT) through Pearson VUE. The **NCLEX-PN** exam: - **Format:** Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT), 85 to 150 questions - **Exam fee:** ~$200 (NCSBN fee, paid to Pearson VUE) - **Time limit:** 6 hours - **National first-time pass rate:** ~83-85% - **Pearson VUE centers:** Little Rock, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith are primary testing sites The exam covers safe and effective care environments, health promotion, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. ### Step 3: Apply for Your Arkansas LPN License After passing the NCLEX-PN, complete your licensure application with the **Arkansas State Board of Nursing**: - **Application fee:** approximately **$50-$75** (one of the lowest in the country) - **Criminal background check:** fingerprint-based, required for all initial applicants through the Arkansas State Police - **Official transcripts** from your nursing program - **NCLEX-PN passage** (transmitted by Pearson VUE) Out-of-state LPNs may apply for **licensure by endorsement**. You'll still need the Arkansas background check and application fee. Arkansas LPN licenses renew on a **2-year cycle**. You must complete CE requirements before renewal. ### eNLC Compact Membership Arkansas is a member of the **Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC)**, covering both RNs and LPNs/LVNs. If Arkansas is your primary state of residence, your Arkansas LPN license grants practice privileges in all eNLC compact states, 40+ states, without a separate license. This is valuable for Arkansas LPNs who: - Work for travel agencies or want to expand to neighboring compact states (Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi) - Live near a state border and cross for work - Want flexibility if they relocate Maintain Arkansas as your **primary state of residence** to hold the multistate privilege. ### Continuing Education Requirements Arkansas stands out with one of the lowest CE requirements in the country: **15 contact hours per 2-year renewal period**. There are no mandated topic-specific hours as of the current cycle, giving licensees flexibility in choosing relevant CE content. Approved CE sources include: - ANCC-accredited online and live CE providers - ASBN-approved workshops and conferences - Employer-sponsored competency programs that meet board criteria Keep CE completion records for at least 4 years. ### Arkansas LPN Salary Ranges Arkansas LPN salaries typically range from **$36,000 to $50,000 per year**, reflecting the state's lower overall cost of living: - **Little Rock metro:** highest concentration of employers and highest pay floor - **Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville/Rogers/Springdale):** growing healthcare market, competitive with Little Rock - **Rural SNFs / long-term care:** highest vacancy rates and sometimes sign-on incentives due to access challenges - **Home health:** strong demand, particularly in underserved Delta region counties - **Correctional facilities:** ADOC and county jails have ongoing LPN needs with shift differentials - **Travel LPN:** Arkansas is sometimes used as a travel destination for SNF/home health contracts ### Top Employers for LPNs in Arkansas - **UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences)**, largest academic medical center in the state - **Conway Regional Medical Center**, central Arkansas regional referral hospital - **Baptist Health**, multi-hospital system headquartered in Little Rock - **CHI St. Vincent** (CommonSpirit), hospitals in Little Rock, Hot Springs, Morrilton - **Washington Regional Medical Center** (Fayetteville), Northwest Arkansas dominant system - **Kindred Healthcare / SavaSeniorCare**, SNF chains with multiple Arkansas facilities - **Amedisys** (headquartered in Baton Rouge, large Arkansas presence) and **LHC Group**, home health - **Arkansas Department of Corrections**, statewide LPN openings