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Licensed Practical Nurse Salary
How Much Does an LPN Make?

The average annual salary for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) is $60,790 per year ($29.23 per hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

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Salary of an LPN Licensed Practical Nurse

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.

 Average salaryMedian salary
StatePer hourPer yearPer hourPer year
Alabama$21.76$45,260$22.12$46,000
Alaska$32.07$66,710$30.93$64,340
Arizona$29.77$61,920$29.73$61,840
Arkansas$22.11$45,990$22.21$46,190
California$33.62$69,930$31.78$66,090
Colorado$29.00$60,310$29.66$61,700
Connecticut$30.11$62,620$29.70$61,770
Delaware$27.58$57,360$28.31$58,880
District of Columbia$29.81$62,010$30.07$62,540
Florida$25.85$53,780$24.14$50,200
Georgia$24.44$50,830$24.06$50,050
Hawaii$26.79$55,730$26.88$55,920
Idaho$26.30$54,710$24.45$50,850
Illinois$28.29$58,840$28.52$59,310
Indiana$26.85$55,850$27.40$56,980
Iowa$24.71$51,400$23.73$49,350
Kansas$24.86$51,700$23.68$49,250
Kentucky$23.83$49,570$23.66$49,210
Louisiana$22.80$47,430$22.88$47,590
Maine$26.84$55,830$26.95$56,050
Maryland$28.93$60,180$29.27$60,890
Massachusetts$32.78$68,170$31.10$64,680
Michigan$27.49$57,180$27.89$58,010
Minnesota$26.38$54,870$26.09$54,270
Mississippi$21.64$45,020$21.99$45,730
Missouri$23.80$49,500$23.29$48,450
Montana$25.20$52,420$24.88$51,740
Nebraska$25.04$52,080$24.37$50,680
Nevada$30.73$63,910$29.29$60,920
New Hampshire$30.55$63,550$30.37$63,170
New Jersey$29.80$61,990$29.55$61,460
New Mexico$28.56$59,400$28.95$60,210
New York$27.67$57,560$27.73$57,670
North Carolina$25.49$53,010$24.66$51,300
North Dakota$25.52$53,080$24.38$50,710
Ohio$25.16$52,330$24.32$50,590
Oklahoma$23.12$48,090$23.01$47,860
Oregon$31.82$66,190$31.24$64,990
Pennsylvania$26.21$54,520$26.14$54,370
Rhode Island$32.10$66,770$30.20$62,810
South Carolina$24.55$51,060$24.05$50,020
South Dakota$22.12$46,000$22.84$47,500
Tennessee$22.38$46,540$22.56$46,930
Texas$25.41$52,850$24.48$50,910
Utah$26.82$55,790$26.58$55,290
Vermont$27.47$57,150$28.82$59,940
Virginia$25.38$52,790$24.59$51,150
Washington$33.63$69,950$32.87$68,370
West Virginia$21.89$45,530$21.35$44,410
Wisconsin$25.29$52,610$24.41$50,760
Wyoming$26.39$54,880$26.05$54,180
Guam$20.10$41,810$18.96$39,440
Puerto Rico$12.58$26,170$11.11$23,120
Virgin Islands$23.26$48,380$23.75$49,400

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 5% from 2022-2032, 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.

Job / CareerPer yearPer hour
LPN - Licensed Practical Nurse (BLS)$60,790$29.23
CNA - Certified Nursing Assistant (BLS)$39,610$19.04
Medical Assistant (BLS)$43,350$20.84
RN - Registered Nurse (BLS)$94,480$45.42

All salary data courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

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* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. 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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