How much do Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses make?
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn a median annual salary of $64,400 in the United States, which works out to roughly $30.96 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $49,740 at the entry level and $83,440 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $59,000 and $76,030 a year.
That is $3,010 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary range by percentile
Half of all Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn between $59,000 and $76,030 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,740 | $23.91 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $59,000 | $28.37 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $64,400 | $30.96 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $76,030 | $36.55 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,440 | $40.12 |
Highest-paying states for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay at $83,150 a year, followed by Alaska ($80,800) and Oregon ($80,470). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $50,220 — a gap of $32,930 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $83,150 | $39.98 | +29% |
| 2 | Alaska | $80,800 | $38.85 | +25% |
| 3 | Oregon | $80,470 | $38.69 | +25% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $80,220 | $38.57 | +25% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $80,090 | $38.50 | +24% |
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 648,000 people work as Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $67,050 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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