Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary in the U.S.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses in the U.S. earn a median of $64,400 a year ($30.96 an hour), based on BLS data for 648,410 workers.
Pay ranges from $49,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,440 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $67,050, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $49,740 | $23.91 |
| 25th percentile | $59,000 | $28.37 |
| Median | $64,400 | $30.96 |
| 75th percentile | $76,030 | $36.55 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,440 | $40.12 |
| Average (mean) | $67,050 | $32.24 |
Half of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,366.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,683.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,476.92 |
| Weekly | $1,238.46 |
| Hourly | $30.96 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $83,150 | 6,780 |
| Alaska | $80,800 | 290 |
| Oregon | $80,470 | 4,260 |
| Massachusetts | $80,220 | 13,210 |
| Rhode Island | $80,090 | 1,290 |
| California | $79,750 | 82,850 |
| New Hampshire | $77,110 | 2,220 |
| Arizona | $77,070 | 6,530 |
| Nevada | $76,160 | 3,350 |
| District of Columbia | $75,740 | 1,040 |
| New Jersey | $75,160 | 17,410 |
| Illinois | $75,000 | 17,440 |
| Maryland | $74,660 | 9,560 |
| Colorado | $73,880 | 4,920 |
| Connecticut | $73,690 | 8,540 |
| Maine | $73,200 | 760 |
| Hawaii | $71,140 | 840 |
| Vermont | $69,930 | 1,130 |
| Delaware | $68,710 | 2,240 |
| New York | $67,180 | 39,400 |
| Indiana | $65,720 | 14,480 |
| Michigan | $65,460 | 10,880 |
| Virginia | $64,920 | 15,550 |
| Virgin Islands | $64,660 | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,940 | 38,260 |
| Idaho | $63,800 | 1,880 |
| Wisconsin | $63,760 | 7,390 |
| Minnesota | $63,750 | 12,840 |
| Wyoming | $63,460 | 480 |
| North Carolina | $63,270 | 18,010 |
| Utah | $63,230 | 1,680 |
| Nebraska | $62,660 | 4,580 |
| Iowa | $62,630 | 5,510 |
| North Dakota | $62,300 | 1,920 |
| Texas | $62,240 | 57,560 |
| Montana | $62,210 | 1,620 |
| Georgia | $62,030 | 21,060 |
| Ohio | $61,950 | 39,900 |
| South Carolina | $61,820 | 9,400 |
| Florida | $61,770 | 38,620 |
| Kansas | $61,760 | 7,530 |
| Missouri | $61,530 | 14,700 |
| Kentucky | $60,460 | 8,570 |
| New Mexico | $59,330 | 2,460 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 | 20,830 |
| Oklahoma | $58,320 | 11,540 |
| Louisiana | $57,470 | 17,600 |
| Alabama | $57,030 | 11,580 |
| Arkansas | $56,620 | 10,010 |
| West Virginia | $55,360 | 6,050 |
| South Dakota | $52,750 | 2,050 |
| Mississippi | $50,220 | 9,850 |
| Guam | $42,870 | 90 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,760 | 2,990 |
Best-paying metro areas for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,320 | 3,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $94,310 | 8,800 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,580 | 870 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,690 | 3,470 |
| Vallejo, CA | $85,430 | 870 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $83,940 | 120 |
| Napa, CA | $83,690 | 280 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $83,510 | 2,250 |
| Bend, OR | $83,260 | 150 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $82,410 | 120 |
| Anchorage, AK | $82,330 | 160 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $82,190 | 8,410 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $81,580 | 230 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $81,570 | 4,760 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $81,350 | 330 |
Metro areas with the most licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 33,590 | $79,310 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 32,410 | $75,910 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 15,920 | $70,710 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 12,590 | $64,370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,420 | $78,070 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 10,730 | $63,670 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 9,710 | $65,060 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 8,900 | $62,610 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 8,800 | $94,310 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 8,410 | $82,190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 8,200 | $76,970 |
| Columbus, OH | 7,270 | $61,910 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 7,170 | $75,860 |
| Cleveland, OH | 6,720 | $63,900 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6,610 | $79,720 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Technician | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | $30.26 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | $38.52 |
| Medical Records Specialist | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $47,380 | $22.78 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Paramedic | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 | $46.44 |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | $35.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-2061. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in the U.S.?
The median salary for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the U.S. is $64,400 a year, or $30.96 an hour. Pay ranges from $49,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,440 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the U.S. earn at least $83,440 a year. The top 25% earn $76,030 or more.
What is the starting pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $49,740 a year, and a quarter of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn $59,000 or less.
How many licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses work in the U.S.?
About 648,410 licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.