LPN/LVN salary state by state [Updated September 2025]
An LPN or LVN in the United States makes an average of $30.84 per hour and $64,150 annually.
However, as you may suspect, many factors impact LPN/LVN income. Pay rates vary by state, city, and industry, among others. Therefore, you must understand the nuances of LPN/LVN pay to estimate your earning potential.
This state-by-state LPN/LVN salary guide covers everything there is to know about licensed practical nurse salaries:
- How much do LPNs make per hour?
- How much does an LPN make per year on average?
- How much do LPNs make in the highest-paying states and cities?
- How much money does an LPN make in different settings?
Read on for the answers to all your questions regarding LPN/LVN salary.
Salary data regarding states, metropolitan areas, nonmetropolitan areas, and industries comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and only represents averages for employed LPNs/LVNs.
LPN/LVN salary state by state in 2025
Location is one of the main factors impacting the average salary range of an LPN. Whereas LVNs in California average $79,090 annually, LPNs in Alabama average $50,760.
Discover how LPN salaries can vary state by state in the comparison table below.
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
How do LPN/LVN salaries compare against cost of living expenses?
Simply looking at the national average wage statistics for licensed practical and vocational nurses doesn’t show the full picture. To really understand how far those earnings go, it’s helpful to adjust for differences in cost of living (COL) from state to state.
To account for this, the table below adjusts each state’s LPN annual average wage using the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities (RPP) index.
Here’s how it works:
An RPP below 100 reflects lower prices, so wages stretch further in those states. An RPP above 100 means higher costs, which reduces how much purchasing power those wages provide.
The COL-adjusted wage is calculated by dividing the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) average annual wage by the state’s RPP.
By making this adjustment, we can directly compare LPN pay in affordable versus expensive states, giving a more realistic view of salary differences in 2025.
Method notes: Calculations use full-precision 2023 Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Parities Pricing; displayed to one decimal. RPP values are the latest available from the BEA and cover all consumption goods and services, including housing rents by state.
Which are the highest-paid LPNs in 2025?
Although the national average LPN wage is $64,150 annually and $30.84 hourly, the highest-paid 10 percent of LPNs earn over $99,860 annually and $48.01 hourly (Maine).
Furthermore, there are cities and industries where pay rates for LPNs are higher than these figures. Want to know where? Keep reading to find out.
Which are the highest-paying states for LPNs?
Wondering which states pay the highest LPN salaries? We’ve got you covered.
Without further ado, here’s how much LPNs make an hour and annually in the top 10 best-paying states for LPNs.
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
After cost-of-living adjustments: Who really pays LPNs/LVNs best?
Since living expenses vary widely, the “top-paying” states for LPNs on paper may not always offer the best real-world value.
After cost-of-living adjustments, these states offer the strongest purchasing power for LPNs. Notice the salary differences between this table and the table for the highest-paying states directly above.
Top 10 (best COL-adjusted annual pay):
After cost-of-living adjustments: Who pays LPNs/LVNs the lowest?
No nurse wants to see their state ranked here, but it’s an important reality check. Why does it matter?
It provides context, but more than that, it highlights how living expenses shape the real value of a paycheck.
Once adjusted for cost of living, these states give LPNs the lowest purchasing power. There are a few surprises on this list, aren’t there?
Bottom 10 (lowest COL-adjusted annual pay):
Which are the highest-paying cities for LPNs?
Do you think California pays LVNs well? Wait until you see the average LPN/LVN salaries in the 10 highest-paying metropolitan regions for practical/vocational nurses.
*Spoiler alert: Most of these cities are in California.
Source: Table created based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Are you open to moving to another location for a higher LPN salary but unwilling to work in a city? Take a closer look at that table, specifically number eight.
That’s right—Alaska’s nonmetropolitan area is a high-ranker for LPN salaries, right up in there among the West Coast metro region dominators.
When examining how much a practical nurse makes in nonmetropolitan areas, the data shows a clear example of geographic salary disparities for LPNs regarding urban vs rural pay.
As seen in the table above, most of the highest earnings are concentrated in metropolitan regions, with only one exception. This highlights how location—urban or rural—plays a role in shaping earning potential for practical nurses.
Which are the industries with the highest-paying LPN jobs?
Beyond geographic location, you'll find significant LPN salary differences by industry and facility type.
Average LPN salary varies significantly from one career path to another. In fact, the highest-paying LPN jobs in healthcare may be ones you haven’t thought of.
What are the highest paid LPN jobs by industry?
The following table shows the 10 top-paying industries for LPNs:
*Excluding state and local government schools and hospitals, and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS designation)
What is an LPN/LVN?
Licensed practical or vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) provide basic patient care, such as taking blood pressure and administering medications. LPNs/LVNs work in various healthcare settings, including long-term care facilities, hospitals, and physicians’ offices. They also work in non-healthcare settings such as high schools and private homes.
LPNs/LVNs must complete state-approved educational programs, which typically take about one year. They must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) and obtain state licensure to practice nursing.
What is the difference between an LPN and LVN salary?
The term licensed vocational nurse or LVN is used in Texas and California, whereas in the rest of the country, these professionals are called licensed practical nurses or LPNs. Otherwise, these terms have the same meaning.
What else increases the salary of LPN jobs?
Location and industry type are certainly essential factors affecting the average LPN income. However, LPN annual compensation and benefits are quite a bit more complex.
The following are some other factors influencing the practical nurse average annual salary based on Medscape’s 2024 RN/LPN Compensation Report:
Male LPNs vs. female LPNs
Within the nursing profession, women make up the overwhelming majority—specifically, 91 percent of the LPN cohort. As in many other professions, there is a pay gap between men and women LPNs.
- Male LPN average salary: $66,000
- Female LPN average salary: $58,000
New vs. experienced LPNs
Understanding the average LPN hourly pay for entry-level and experienced nurses helps set realistic earning expectations.
So, how much does experience affect an LPN’s salary?
As is also the case across most professions, more work experience usually means more pay. However, the starting salary for licensed practical nurses is not so different from that of an experienced practical nurse.
Here are average LPN salaries based on years of nursing experience:
- Twenty-one years or more: $60,000
- Eleven to 20 years: $59,000
- Six to 10 years: $57,000
Ways LPNs supplement their income
Supplemental income is another important aspect affecting LPN pay.
Whereas about half of LPNs rely solely on a paycheck from one position, the other half take on additional responsibilities at work or even work additional jobs.
Many LPNs choose to increase their LPN wages with overtime and shift differential pay.
The following figures show how LPNs supplement their income and how prevalent each practice is:
- Worked extra shifts/overtime, weekends, and/or extra holidays: 28%
- Acted as a preceptor: 6%
- Worked “on call” shifts: 8%
- Took on charge nurse responsibilities: 5%
- Worked a second job or another income-producing activity (non-nursing): 16%
- Taught classes: 3%
- Other: 7%
Union membership and LPN salary
Finally, here is one more factor affecting LPN salary: union membership.
The following figures show how union membership can affect LPN wages:
- Average union-member LPN salary: $61,000
- Average non-union-member LPN salary: $59,000
What is the minimum wage for licensed practical nurses?
The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour—unchanged since 2009.
However, many states have their own minimum wage regulations, which vary widely. For example, the highest minimum wage in the country is in the District of Columbia at $17.50 per hour.
Unfortunately, the lowest-earning 10 percent of LPNs in the country—Idaho—make less than $13.55 hourly or $28,190 annually. However, this is a higher hourly rate than Idaho’s minimum wage, which is equal to the federal minimum wage.
What is the LPN job outlook for 2025?
According to the BLS, the employment of LPNs and LVNs is estimated to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, at the same rate as the average for all occupations.
This job outlook translates into demand—approximately 54,000 job openings for licensed practical and vocational nurses annually over the decade. Many of these openings will result from the need to replace nurses who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force.
Regarding pay, the 2024 Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report showed the following salary trends for LPNs:
- Increase in pay from the previous year: 63%
- No change in pay from the previous year: 24%
- Decrease in pay from the previous year: 13%
Assuming the salary growth trend will continue, most LPNs will see higher salaries in 2025.
Do LPNs make good money?
Whether or not LPNs make good money is relative.
In the second quarter of 2025, the median weekly earnings of full-time workers in the United States were $1,196.
Based on a 40-hour work week, the average LPN in the United States makes $1,233.60 weekly. In other words, LPN pay is comparable to the average income of a full-time worker.
For additional context, workers with high school diplomas as their highest level of education make median weekly earnings of $960. Those with at least a bachelor's degree make approximately $1,732. Therefore, pay typically increases with higher education.
How can LPNs make more money?
Based on the information already presented in this guide, LPNs can increase their income in the following ways:
- Up for traveling as an LPN? Move to one of the highest-paying locations for LPNs/LVNs.
- Look for job opportunities in one of the highest-paying industries for LPNs, such as insurance carriers.
- Join a nurses’ union.
- Further your education.
- Supplement your income by working extra shifts and taking advantage of shift pay differentials.
Additionally, working per diem nursing shifts is an excellent way to increase your hourly pay as an LPN.
Nurses may pick up extra per diem nursing shifts to supplement their income or decide to work per diem full-time to take advantage of the higher hourly rates.
LPN vs. RN salary gap and education impact
If you are willing to continue your education, transitioning from LPN to registered nurse (RN) would significantly increase your nursing income.
Whereas LPNs make an average of $64,150 annually, RNs make an average of $98,430. That’s a difference of just over $34,000 annually. But remember. Context matters.
Those figures are the national averages. Discover RN salary state by state and compare it to LPN pay rates near you.
LPNs can complete bridge programs for Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADNs) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees to become RNs and overcome the salary gap.
Final thoughts on LPN salary
This ultimate guide breaks down LPN salaries so you can understand pay rates in your profession and see where practical nurses make the most money.
Now, it’s up to you to decide which steps you would like to take to maximize your earning potential.
Would you like to pick up high-paying PRN shifts? Sign up with Nursa to make high hourly rates as an LPN.
Sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Maps
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Economic News Release: Usual Weekly Earnings Summary
- U.S. Department of Labor: Consolidated Minimum Wage Table
- Gains Made but a Ways to Go: Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report 2024
- Bureau of Economic Analysis: Regional Price Parities for States
