Full-time day programAs few as 12 months
The shorter option uses a full-time schedule. Ask the campus for the current days, class hours, and clinical schedule.
Vocational Nursing diploma
What the Unitek Bakersfield program includes
The program is taught on campus and combines nursing courses with skills practice, simulation, and clinical rotations at healthcare facilities in the Bakersfield area. Students complete more than 900 hours of hands-on training during the program.
Part-time evening programAs few as 20 months
Classroom instruction is scheduled in the evening. Clinical hours may use a different schedule, so get those times before choosing this option.
Program typeDiploma
InstructionOn campus
Hands-on trainingMore than 900 hours
Board statusCalifornia approved
Course areas
What students study
- Nursing FundamentalsTheory, basic nursing care, documentation, safety, and clinical skills
- Introduction to PharmacologyMedication principles, calculations, administration, and patient monitoring
- Medical-Surgical NursingClassroom and clinical instruction covering adult health conditions
- Maternal and Newborn NursingCare during pregnancy, birth, recovery, and the newborn period
- Pediatric NursingHealth needs and nursing care for infants, children, and adolescents
- Professional DevelopmentCommunication, teamwork, supervision, and preparation for nursing employment
Clinical locations: Unitek clinical rotations take place at local healthcare facilities.
Getting into the program
Unitek Vocational Nursing admission requirements
Applicants do not need CNA certification or previous healthcare experience. That makes Unitek's entry route different from many California LVN programs that use college prerequisites or nursing assistant experience. Admission begins with education records and Unitek's prerequisite course, followed by entrance testing and an interview.
1
Show that you completed high schoolA diploma, GED, or another accepted equivalent is required.
2
Complete Unitek's VN prerequisite courseThe course must be completed within 12 months of the intended program start.
3
Take the entrance assessmentsUnitek's main VN admissions information lists a minimum SLE-Q score of 19 and TEAS score of 58.7%.
4
Meet with the Program DirectorThe interview is part of the program's selection process.
5
Complete the clinical screeningA background check and drug screen are required before clinical training begins.
6
Finish health and enrollment paperworkAsk for the current immunization, physical, CPR, identification, and financial-aid checklist.
Tuition and expenses
How much does the Unitek Bakersfield LVN program cost?
Unitek does not give one Bakersfield price on the program page. The amount can differ by schedule, start date, and financial aid. Admissions provides the current total for the day or evening program.
Ask for the complete school cost
The estimate should include the VN prerequisite course, tuition, school fees, books, uniforms, supplies, and any charges for repeating a course.
Physical exam, immunizations, screening, CPR certification, and other health records
Transportation to the Palmer Drive campus and assigned clinical facilities
State application, fingerprinting, licensing, and any graduation-related charges
When comparing Unitek with another school, use the total cost after grants and scholarships—not the monthly payment by itself. The amount borrowed makes more sense when considered alongside typical LVN salary levels and the time needed to complete the program. Our guide to Bakersfield LVN programs shows which local schools give students a price directly and which require a campus estimate.
Beyond the VN diploma
Other healthcare programs connected with Unitek Bakersfield
The Bakersfield campus offers two additional entry-level healthcare programs, while Unitek's online ASVN program is for students who have already completed vocational nursing education. These programs lead to different jobs and credentials.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
A direct-entry, three-year nursing degree for students preparing for registered nursing. The first four semesters are mainly asynchronous online courses; on-campus and clinical work begin later in the program.
- Length
- As few as 3 years
- Format
- Online courses, campus labs, and clinical rotations
- Credits
- 120
Medical Assisting
A shorter program covering both patient-care and medical-office skills. Students train for entry-level work supporting physicians and other clinical staff.
- Length
- As few as 9 months
- Training
- Clinical and administrative skills
- Career
- Medical assistant
Associate of Science in Vocational Nursing
This is not an alternative starting point for someone who has never attended nursing school. It adds general-education and science courses after a student completes an approved vocational or practical nursing program.
- Length
- As few as 12 months
- Format
- Fully online
- Credits
- 35
VN diploma versus ASVN: The Bakersfield VN diploma is the entry-level nursing program described on this page. The online ASVN builds on vocational nursing education that a student has already completed; it does not replace the hands-on VN program.
Local alternatives
Other LVN programs in Bakersfield and Kern County
Unitek is one of several local choices. The programs below differ in award type, prerequisites, schedule, length, and cost.
Bakersfield CollegePublic community collegeLength3 semestersAwardCertificateEstimated costAbout $8,158
BC requires college prerequisites and an active California CNA certificate. Qualified applicants enter through the program's waitlist process. It is the lower-cost college route, but students may spend additional time completing prerequisites and waiting for a seat.
Bakersfield College program, prerequisites and waitlistBakersfield Adult SchoolPublic adult educationLength12 monthsAwardCareer trainingProgram fee$9,000
The Adult School route requires an active CNA license plus medical math, medical terminology, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. It offers a lower-cost public alternative to the private colleges.
Bakersfield Adult School requirements and program feeHigh Desert Medical CollegePrivate career collegeFull-time61 weeksPart-time84 weeksTraining1,530 hours
HDMC offers full-time and part-time formats with day and evening scheduling. Its program combines 850 classroom hours with a 680-hour externship. The school does not place one complete current price on the Bakersfield program page.
HDMC schedule, curriculum and admissionsCarrington CollegePrivate collegeLengthAs few as 15 monthsAwardAssociate degreeTotal cost$45,792
Carrington awards an associate degree in Vocational Nursing rather than a diploma or certificate. Applicants take the ATI TEAS, and general-education courses are included in the curriculum.
Carrington degree, admission test and costNorth-West CollegePrivate college · Newer programLength60 weeksScheduleFull-timeTraining1,652 hours
North-West is a newer Bakersfield option with a full-time curriculum. Because the local program has a shorter operating history, students should ask for the next start date, weekly schedule, clinical area, and current total cost.
North-West Bakersfield program detailsCerro Coso Community CollegeRegional Kern County optionLength4 semestersAward43-unit certificateEstimated costAbout $4,558
Cerro Coso is not a Bakersfield-city campus. Its regional vocational nursing program requires college prerequisites and may involve substantial travel depending on where classes, labs, and clinical rotations are held.
Cerro Coso and Kern River Valley program guideSchool estimates do not always include the same expenses. Compare tuition, fees, books, supplies, prerequisites, screening, and travel before deciding which program costs less overall.
Palmer Drive campus
Campus location and student resources
Nursing
skills and simulation labsComputer labs
and no-cost printingLibrary and study
areasTutoring and
faculty supportCareer
servicesStudent
parking
Common questions
Unitek Bakersfield LVN program FAQ
Is the Unitek Vocational Nursing program online?
No. Vocational Nursing instruction is campus-based and includes in-person skills labs, simulation, and clinical rotations.
Does Unitek require CNA certification?
No CNA requirement appears in Unitek's admission information. Applicants complete Unitek's own VN prerequisite course instead.
Are all evening-program clinical hours held at night?
Unitek identifies an evening classroom option but does not give exact clinical times on the program page. Ask for the current clinical schedule before selecting the evening program.
Does the program award a diploma or degree?
The Bakersfield Vocational Nursing program awards a diploma. The separate online ASVN program awards an associate degree after a student has completed approved vocational or practical nursing education.
Is the VN prerequisite included in the 12 or 20 months?
Unitek treats the prerequisite as an admission requirement completed before the VN start. Ask admissions to show its time and cost separately from the nursing program.
Can Unitek VN courses be used toward a later nursing degree?
Unitek offers ASVN and LVN-to-BSN pathways, but entry and transfer-credit rules differ. Students interested in continuing should ask which courses from the Bakersfield diploma apply to the specific next program.