Southern Union State Community College Nursing: The Complete Guide for Prospective Students (2026)

See the quick facts and key takeaway above for a snapshot of Southern Union State Community College’s nursing programs. The sections below cover programs, NCLEX outcomes, admissions, costs, and fit in detail.

Nursing Programs Offered

Southern Union’s nursing division offers options for students at different stages: new learners, practicing LPNs, and selected allied health professionals who want to pivot into registered nursing. Each pathway has its own structure and licensure outcome.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program is Southern Union’s primary RN pathway. Students complete general education and science prerequisites along with nursing coursework that combines classroom instruction, skills laboratory practice, and supervised clinical rotations. The curriculum prepares graduates to provide safe, evidence-based care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and community settings and to apply for NCLEX-RN licensure eligibility through the Alabama Board of Nursing.

Practical Nursing (PN)

The Practical Nursing program prepares students for entry-level bedside roles as Licensed Practical Nurses. Course content includes fundamentals, pharmacology, adult health, maternal–child, gerontology, and other core topics, along with clinical experiences that expose students to direct patient care under RN and physician supervision. Graduates are eligible to apply for NCLEX-PN licensure, subject to Board of Nursing requirements.

ADN Mobility pathways

Southern Union’s ADN Mobility options provide an accelerated route for Licensed Practical Nurses and selected allied health professionals—such as credentialed paramedics, radiologic technologists, surgical technologists, medical assistant technologists, and physical therapist assistants—to earn the ADN. Many of these mobility students can complete the degree in three semesters, combining one transition term with two additional nursing semesters. This structure acknowledges previous training while filling in the RN-level knowledge and skills needed for NCLEX-RN and registered nurse practice.

NCLEX-RN Pass Rate

According to the Alabama Board of Nursing Approved Nursing Programs — Annual Data (Calendar Year 2024), Southern Union State Community College reported a 100% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for its associate-degree (ADN) program, and a 100% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate for its practical nursing (PN) program (CY2024, first-time testers). Rates can differ by pathway, campus, and reporting year. Confirm the latest outcomes with the Alabama Board of Nursing and the school before you compare programs.

Figures above are first-time pass rates from the Alabama Board of Nursing calendar year 2024 annual report unless another source and year are labeled. Confirm the latest NCLEX outcomes with the Alabama Board of Nursing and the school before you compare programs.

International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses

Public-facing nursing information from Southern Union State Community College is focused primarily on domestic applicants, so international students and internationally educated nurses will need to take additional steps and confirm requirements carefully.

Checklist for international applicants

• English proficiency: Southern Union is likely to require proof of English-language proficiency for non-native speakers (for example, TOEFL or IELTS), but specific tests and score minimums for nursing applicants are Not found in the official sources reviewed for this guide. Verify the latest requirements through the admissions office or international student services.
• Academic credential evaluation: If you completed high school or college outside the U.S., you may need a course-by-course evaluation from a recognized service before Southern Union can apply that coursework to prerequisites or admission criteria.
• Visa and enrollment: Confirm that your chosen nursing pathway (Practical Nursing, ADN, or Mobility) meets full-time enrollment and in-person attendance rules for your visa category.
• NCLEX eligibility for foreign-educated nurses: If you completed nursing education abroad and plan to sit for NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN in Alabama, review Alabama Board of Nursing requirements for foreign-educated nurses, including documentation, English testing, and credential verification steps.
• Clinical clearance: Clinical agencies may impose additional immunization, background check, or authorization requirements. Ask how these processes impact international students early in your planning.

Admissions: A Realistic Look

Southern Union’s ADN, PN, and Mobility programs use clearly defined admission standards and a competitive points system. Meeting baseline criteria is necessary but may not be sufficient for acceptance in high-demand application cycles.

Typical admission elements (ADN & PN)

• Minimum ACT composite score around 18, as referenced in public materials for nursing programs.
• Completion of required prerequisites with at least a grade of C (for example, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, English, and math).
• Minimum 2.5 core GPA in designated nursing-related courses as described in Southern Union’s admissions documentation.
• Eligibility for college-level English and math.
• Official transcripts from all prior institutions.
• Compliance with health, immunization, and background-check requirements for clinical participation.

Additional expectations for ADN Mobility applicants

• Current, unencumbered LPN license or appropriate allied health credential (such as paramedic, radiologic technologist, surgical technologist, medical assistant technologist, or physical therapist assistant) that is recognized by the program.
• Completion of designated transition courses and prerequisites with minimum grade and GPA standards.
• Meeting any program-specific timelines for experience or credential currency, where applicable.

Competitiveness snapshot

Tuition & Cost of Attendance

Southern Union is a community college, but nursing students still need to plan for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses. The college publishes per-credit rates and full cost-of-attendance budgets to help you estimate your investment.

All tuition and cost figures above are based on 2024–25 data from Southern Union State Community College and related cost-of-attendance documentation. They may change each year, and individual costs will vary depending on course load, housing choices, and personal circumstances.

Student Outcomes & Career Prospects

Southern Union nursing graduates typically move into LPN and RN roles in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and community settings across east Alabama and nearby regions. Mobility graduates, in particular, bring prior healthcare experience that can be attractive to employers.

• LPN graduates: Often work in long-term care, rehabilitation centers, and outpatient settings where practical nurses provide direct care under RN or physician supervision.
• ADN graduates: Qualify for registered nurse positions in hospitals and community agencies and can later pursue RN-to-BSN programs to expand their career options.
• Mobility graduates: Combine prior allied health experience with ADN-level preparation, which can help them adapt quickly to RN roles.
• Job placement rates: Specific job placement percentages and detailed employer lists are Not publicly disclosed in the sources reviewed; contact Southern Union’s nursing department or career services for the most recent local outcome data.

To see how Southern Union’s NCLEX performance fits into the broader Alabama context, review the Alabama Board of Nursing’s most recent NCLEX statistics, which provide school-by-school results.

Is Southern Union State Community College the Right Fit for You?

Southern Union may be a good choice if you value affordability, flexibility, and a pathway to advance from LPN or allied health roles into RN practice. It may be less ideal if you want a direct-entry BSN on a four-year campus.

Local Healthcare Ecosystem

Opelika is part of the greater Auburn–Opelika area, with hospitals, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities that serve both local residents and a broader regional population. This creates a range of clinical learning environments for Southern Union nursing students.

Public sources do not list specific clinical partners—those details are Not found in the official sources reviewed for this guide—but students can generally expect to rotate through acute-care and community settings within commuting distance of campus. The mix of urban-adjacent and regional care contexts can help learners gain experience with diverse patient populations.

Student Experience & Campus Life

Like most community-college nursing programs, Southern Union’s nursing experience is built around coursework, labs, and clinical rotations rather than a traditional residential campus lifestyle. Many students balance school with work and family responsibilities.

You can expect a schedule that includes classroom learning, skills labs, simulations, and clinical shifts across the week. Southern Union offers student services and activities that nursing students can use when time allows, but the intensity of nursing coursework may limit how much you participate in extracurriculars during clinical semesters. If student involvement is important to you, ask current students or advisors about realistic ways to engage while keeping up academically.

Resources & Next Steps

Use these official Southern Union resources to verify program details, confirm current costs, and start planning your application timeline.

Campus location & contact

• Campus location: Opelika, Alabama, United States
• Address: Southern Union State Community College, 1701 Lafayette Parkway, Opelika, AL 36801, USA
• Telephone number: (334) 745-6437
• Contact email: Not publicly disclosed in the sources reviewed (use contact forms and addresses on Southern Union’s nursing and admissions pages)
• Website: https://www.suscc.edu

Your “next 7 days” checklist

• Day 1: Decide which Southern Union pathway (PN, ADN, or Mobility) matches your background and goals and read the corresponding catalog pages.
• Day 2: Download the nursing program handbook and admission requirements, highlighting ACT, GPA, and prerequisite expectations.
• Day 3: Use the tuition and cost-of-attendance information to build a rough budget and identify how much financial aid you may need.
• Day 4: Compare your transcripts and test scores with the published standards and plan any missing coursework or testing.
• Day 5: Email or call the nursing department with targeted questions about NCLEX results, clinical sites, and how the points system works.
• Day 6: Start drafting your personal statement or application responses, focusing on your readiness for nursing and your reasons for choosing Southern Union.
• Day 7: Build an application timeline that includes deadlines, entrance exams (if needed), transcript requests, financial aid forms, and clinical clearance steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

This guide is based on publicly available information from Southern Union State Community College and reputable external cost and program-summary sources. Because program details and costs can change, always confirm important data directly with the college and the Alabama Board of Nursing.

• Southern Union State Community College – Nursing catalog: https://catalog.suscc.edu/nursing/nursing
• Southern Union State Community College – Practical Nursing: https://catalog.suscc.edu/practical-nursing
• Southern Union State Community College – ADN admission requirements: https://www.suscc.edu/programs/nursing-rn-admission-requ
• Southern Union State Community College – ADN Mobility information: https://www.suscc.edu/programs/lpn-to-rn-program-overvie
• Southern Union State Community College – Tuition & fee schedule: https://catalog.suscc.edu/202526-college-catalog-and-student-handbook/tuition-and-fee-schedule
• Southern Union State Community College – Cost-of-attendance budgets and financial information.
• Independent tuition and net price summaries for Southern Union State Community College (e.g., CollegeTuitionCompare and similar sites).

NCLEX pass-rate information for Southern Union should always be verified against Alabama Board of Nursing statistics. Tuition and cost-of-attendance figures are based on 2024–25 data and may change. Any field labeled “Not publicly disclosed” or “Not found in the official sources reviewed for this guide” reflects the absence of that information in the official and secondary sources reviewed.

Related Nursing Schools

If you are exploring Southern Union State Community College for nursing, you may also want to learn more about these other Alabama nursing programs.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general reference and informational purposes only. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and relevant boards before making decisions.

Published: Apr 2, 2026· Last reviewed: Apr 2, 2026· Nursing Education Review Process · Editorial Policy