Licensed Practical Nurse salary
A licensed practical nurse earns about $64,400 a year — roughly $30.96/hour, with most earning between $59,000 and $76,030. This is a verified national figure from official public wage data.
Licensed Practical Nurse — U.S. national
Verified public wage dataMedian annual pay
$64,400
Hourly
$30.96/hr
- Typical range
- $59,000–$76,030
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $83,440
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $49,740
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- State and metro labor market
- Long-term care vs hospital setting
- Years of experience
- Shift differentials
- Specialty certifications (IV, wound care)
About Licensed Practical Nurses
What they do
Licensed Practical Nurses provide basic bedside care — monitoring vitals, administering some medications, dressing wounds, and reporting to RNs and physicians. A large share work in nursing homes, long-term care, and physician offices rather than hospitals.
How to become a Licensed Practical Nurse
LPNs complete a state-approved practical nursing program (typically about one year) and pass the NCLEX-PN exam for licensure. It is the fastest route into licensed nursing.
What drives the pay
Public wage data reports LPNs and LVNs together. Pay is below the RN level because the scope of practice is narrower; setting matters a lot, with hospitals and home health typically paying more than long-term care.
Licensed Practical Nurse pay by state
Estimated licensed practical nurse pay where this role tends to earn the most. Open a state for the full local picture.
| State | Est. annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $83,150 | +29% vs national |
| Alaska | $80,800 | +25% vs national |
| Oregon | $80,470 | +25% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $80,220 | +25% vs national |
| Rhode Island | $80,090 | +24% vs national |
| California | $79,750 | +24% vs national |
| New Hampshire | $77,110 | +20% vs national |
| Arizona | $77,070 | +20% vs national |
Licensed Practical Nurse salary by state
Open any state for licensed practical nurse pay, local metros, and how it compares to the U.S. average.
Compare next
Roles nurses weigh against this one.
Licensed Practical Nurse salary FAQ
- How much do Licensed Practical Nurses make?
- A Licensed Practical Nurse earns about $64,400 a year — roughly $30.96 an hour — based on verified public wage data. Most earn between $59,000 and $76,030, and the top 10% earn roughly $83,440 or more.
- What is the hourly pay for Licensed Practical Nurses?
- Most Licensed Practical Nurses are paid an hourly wage. The national figure works out to about $30.96 an hour at a full-time schedule, with a typical range of $28.37 to $36.55. Nights, weekends, and overtime differentials push the real hourly rate higher.
- Which state pays Licensed Practical Nurses the most?
- Washington is among the highest-paying states for Licensed Practical Nurses, at roughly $83,150 a year, followed by other West Coast and Northeast states. State figures are estimates based on national pay and local cost of living.
- How does Licensed Practical Nurse pay compare to a registered nurse?
- Licensed Practical Nurses earn less than registered nurses — about $64,400 a year vs $97,550 for RNs — reflecting a shorter training path and a narrower scope of practice.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— A verified figure from official U.S. public wage data.
BLS OEWS (May 2025, national)
National wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2025 national data.
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Full methodology