The average annual salary for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) is $51,850 per year ($24.93 per hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Average LPN salary by state
Your pay will vary based on your level of experience, the type of healthcare facility you work for, and the state in which you practice—its population and demand for LPNs relative to other states will affect the estimate for yearly/hourly salary. Find your state below for an LPN salary estimate in your area and see where the highest paying LPN jobs are in the US.
| State | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $19.56 | $40,680 |
| Alaska | $32.51 | $67,620 |
| Arizona | $26.84 | $55,820 |
| Arkansas | $20.08 | $41,760 |
| California | $30.81 | $64,090 |
| Colorado | $26.11 | $54,310 |
| Connecticut | $28.09 | $58,430 |
| Delaware | $25.92 | $53,920 |
| District of Columbia | $27.80 | $57,810 |
| Florida | $22.46 | $46,710 |
| Georgia | $21.48 | $44,690 |
| Hawaii | $26.04 | $54,160 |
| Idaho | $23.38 | $48,640 |
| Illinois | $26.24 | $54,580 |
| Indiana | $23.02 | $47,890 |
| Iowa | $22.05 | $45,860 |
| Kansas | $21.66 | $45,050 |
| Kentucky | $21.23 | $44,160 |
| Louisiana | $20.16 | $41,920 |
| Maine | $23.27 | $48,390 |
| Maryland | $27.03 | $56,220 |
| Massachusetts | $29.04 | $60,400 |
| Michigan | $25.10 | $52,220 |
| Minnesota | $23.96 | $49,840 |
| Mississippi | $19.39 | $40,340 |
| Missouri | $21.39 | $44,490 |
| State | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | $22.12 | $46,010 |
| Nebraska | $21.98 | $45,710 |
| Nevada | $28.70 | $59,700 |
| New Hampshire | $27.12 | $56,400 |
| New Jersey | $27.69 | $57,590 |
| New Mexico | $24.27 | $50,480 |
| New York | $24.66 | $51,300 |
| North Carolina | $22.65 | $47,120 |
| North Dakota | $23.10 | $48,060 |
| Ohio | $22.40 | $46,590 |
| Oklahoma | $20.79 | $43,250 |
| Oregon | $27.56 | $57,320 |
| Pennsylvania | $24.16 | $50,250 |
| Rhode Island | $28.41 | $59,090 |
| South Carolina | $20.97 | $43,630 |
| South Dakota | $18.95 | $39,420 |
| Tennessee | $20.35 | $42,330 |
| Texas | $23.26 | $48,380 |
| Utah | $22.86 | $47,550 |
| Vermont | $24.64 | $51,240 |
| Virginia | $22.79 | $47,410 |
| Washington | $28.74 | $59,780 |
| West Virginia | $18.72 | $38,940 |
| Wisconsin | $23.11 | $48,070 |
| Wyoming | $23.55 | $48,980 |
All salary data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. | ||
The job outlook for LPNs
The career outlook for LPNs remains very positive in the coming years. Jobs for LPNs/LVNs are projected to increase by 9% from 2020-2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earning your diploma in practical nursing in the next couple years puts you in a position to compete for a growing number of job opportunities.
A brief LPN job description
Licensed practical nurses provide basic nursing care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians in many different healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, doctor’s offices and urgent care clinics.
LPN roles and responsibilities:
- Maintaining, updating patient records
- Changing bandages
- Inserting IVs or catheters
- Taking patient vital signs and histories
- Listen to patients’ concerns and report to RNs and doctors
- Make patients as comfortable as possible
LPN average salary vs. other occupations
There are many different types of nurses and positions in healthcare—deciding who you want to become in the early stages and taking the first step can be a real challenge. Here are the average salaries for alternative, similar career options in nursing & healthcare:
Exploring your career options?
No matter where you start in healthcare, we want to help you take the leap and become a new you.
- I want to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Herzing University offers a practical nursing diploma program at several campus locations that you can complete in as few as 12 months:
- I want to become a medical assistant. You may work towards a medical assisting diploma or associate degree in medical assisting. Herzing University offers both medical assisting programs online. Learn more about the difference between LPN and medical assistant.
- I want to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Earn your associate degree in nursing or bachelor of science in nursing to take a big step towards becoming a registered nurse. Learn more about the main differences between LPNs and RNs.
If your goal is to become a nurse and specialize in a certain area, you will need a degree and may consider enrolling in an ASN or BSN program to become an RN.
However, becoming an LPN gets you into nursing faster, and your experience will be instructive in helping you determine where you may want to specialize in the future. On-the-job everyday training as a health provider can be a valuable experience no matter your professional title.
With Herzing University you are possible.
Going to nursing school on top of an already busy lifestyle can be intimidating. We do everything we can to make things easiest for you. How long it takes depends on the nursing program you choose, if you can transfer any prior credit, and if you choose to complete coursework on a full-time or part-time basis.
There are many potential career pathways you may follow, and you’ll find Herzing University staff and faculty there to assist you at every fork in the road. We are your partner in starting and advancing your career in nursing.
Learn about Herzing's PN program
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2021. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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