Online nursing schools in Vermont prepare prospective nurses to work in the Green Mountain State's extensive network of hospitals and long-term facilities as well as other private practices and medical centers. Graduates can consider specializing in teaching and training, health care administration, or perhaps studying further to become a nurse practitioner or doctor of nursing practice.

Choices for Vermont nursing schools, online and on-campus

Licensed practical nursing degrees are the first step to a career as a registered nurse. Aspiring LPNs can turn to distance learning or brick-and-mortar schools to earn a certificate. The many Vermont nursing schools online include these:

• Grand Canyon University
• Kaplan University
• Walden University
• University of Phoenix

One can earn a nursing degree through on-campus programs such as Vermont Technical College or Southern Vermont College. The University of Vermont's College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers campus-based as well as distance learning programs. Norwich University has online study options for its Master of Science in Nursing program.

Living and working in Vermont

In Vermont, one enjoys the benefits of all four seasons as well as antique shops, organic farmers' markets, lunches in quaint Colonial villages and factory tours of locally made goods. The urban areas of Burlington--the largest city by population, Montpelier--the state capital, and Essex sizzle with upscale restaurants, high-end shops and nightclubs.

The Department of Labor lists health care providers and medical centers as some of the largest employers in the state, including Fletcher Allen Health Care, which has an alliance with the University of Vermont. As for salaries, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the mean annual wage for Vermont RNs was $63,210 in 2010. Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses earned $41,800 the same year, just below the mean yearly wage for all occupations in the state.