New Jersey is an excellent destination for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). In this article, you will find valuable information on wages, cost of living considerations, and how to find nursing jobs in this state.
This resource provides publicly available information about average LPN salaries in New Jersey. While Nursa currently offers independent contractor LPNs in New Jersey the opportunity to access per diem jobs that pay on an hourly basis rather than access to salaried or wage-based employment opportunities, this information may be a helpful frame of reference for you as you assess the market landscape both in regard to per diem jobs and employment opportunities.
What's the Average LPN Salary in the State of New Jersey?
The average LPN wage in New Jersey is $61,990, or $29.80 per hour. The state average is approximately 11 percent higher than the national average, which is $55,860 annually and $26.86 hourly.
Like any other state, New Jersey has an LPN income range that can give you an idea of the minimum and maximum you can earn in this area of the country. In the following list, you will find the complete LPN wage range:
- Practical nurses in the lowest-earning 10th percentile make less than $51,390.
- LPNs in the 25th percentile earn up to $58,400.
- LPNs in the 50th percentile earn up to $61,460.
- LPNs in the 75th percentile earn up to $64,860.
- LPNs in the 90th percentile earn up to $72,340
These percentiles represent the LPNs that earn less than the amount indicated. In that sense, 10 percent of LPNs in NJ earn less than $51,390 annually, and 90 percent earn more.
How Can I Earn More as an LPN in New Jersey?
Licensed practical nurses in New Jersey may earn $51,390 at an entry-level position in certain industries, and as they gain more experience and obtain certifications, they can earn around $72,340 per year.
The average LPN pay can also vary by location. For example, an average Jersey City LPN wage is $63,050—approximately 13 percent higher than the national average.
In the following chart, we can observe the average LPN wages per area in New Jersey:
Source: Chart based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (Most recent information as of August 2023)
Read More about How a Nurse Pay Varies among States Here
Which Are the Highest-Paying Cities for LPNs in New Jersey?
As is shown in the previous chart, Newark and Jersey City are the highest-paying cities for LPNs in New Jersey, with a mean annual wage of $63,050. They are followed by Trenton, with an income of $60,280; Camden, with an income of $59,320 per year; and Ocean City, with a yearly income of $57,760.
The information presented above gives you an idea of what you can earn with a practical nurse wage. Moreover, it is essential to consider the cost of living to determine if a licensed practical nurse’s compensation in New Jersey is enough to cover basic expenses in the state.
Cost of Living Considerations in New Jersey
To cover basic living expenses in New Jersey, you will need to earn around $18.71 per hour at a full-time job if you are single and without children. If you are a single parent with one child, you will need $39.65 per hour. With one child and a stay-at-home partner, you will need to make approximately $35.34 per hour. If both parents in the household work, you will each need to make approximately $21.81 per hour.
With these numbers, it is possible to say that if you are single and without kids, the average LPN wage in New Jersey is sufficient to cover living expenses, but if you are a single parent, an LPN average wage may not be enough. Nevertheless, there are different ways to overcome that challenge. Read on to learn how working per diem jobs can help you increase your income.
LPN Employment in New Jersey
Knowing how much you can earn in New Jersey may help you choose the best option when considering independent contractor work or applying for salaried or wage-based employment. Employment and location quotient are two important elements that can help you understand the availability of jobs in an area.
With 32,620 LPNs, New York-Newark-Jersey City is the metropolitan area with the highest employment level for LPNs nationwide, and part of this area belongs to New Jersey.
A location quotient measures the concentration of an industry in a specific area compared with the national average. If the location quotient equals one, the area has the same industry concentration as the national average. A location quotient above or below one means that the area has more or less industry concentration than the national average.
The following chart shows the number of LPN jobs in New Jersey and the location quotient in the different metropolitan areas:
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (Most recent information as of August 2023)
How Can I Become an LPN in New Jersey?
New Jersey has multiple programs to achieve your practical nurse licensure. A licensed practical nurse program usually takes 12 to 18 months. Many LPNs start out their career in healthcare first as certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
The cost of programs varies depending on whether the schools are public or private. In the following list, you will find some of the best LPN programs in NJ:
- Rowan College South Jersey – Vineland
- Eastwick College – Hackensack
- Best Care College – East Orange
- Jersey College – Teterboro & Ewing
Read More about Becoming an LPN Here
How Much Do Other Nurses Make in New Jersey?
Suppose you want to continue your studies and become a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner—or pursue a different healthcare profession—and want to know what your salary would be in New Jersey. In that case, the following information will be of interest:
- A nurse anesthetist in NJ earns an annual average of $232,630.
- A nurse midwife in NJ earns an annual average of $119,760.
- A nurse practitioner in NJ earns an annual average of $143,250.
- A registered nurse in NJ earns an annual average of $96,670.
- A physical therapist in NJ earns an annual average of $105,430.
Evidently, your income will grow exponentially if you obtain higher licensure as a nurse. Another way to immediately start making more money as an LPN is by downloading Nursa and picking up per diem nursing shifts near you.
How Can I Find Independent Contractor LPN Jobs in New Jersey?
There are different options for licensed practical nursing jobs in NJ. In this state, LPNs commonly work with patients who are convalescent, are disabled, or have chronic health conditions. Hence, LPNs work primarily in long-term care facilities, rehabilitation, skilled nursing settings, and private homes.
The New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing (NJCCN) reported that NJ has a high demand concentration for LPNs. The demand concentrations show LPN job postings in an area compared with the national average. Consequently, we can say that there’s a need for LPNs in New Jersey.
Nursing homes and extended care facilities have the largest concentration of LPN jobs—constituting 36 percent of the employment of LPNs—continued by home health, which accounts for 19 percent of the employment of LPNs in NJ. Based on the previous data, finding an LPN job shouldn’t be difficult, and nowadays, the Internet can help us find jobs in the area we choose.
Online job posting is becoming popular and is the most efficient way to search for a desired job. One of the best ways to find jobs on the Internet is by browsing an open nurse market like Nursa, through which you can find per diem LPN jobs in New Jersey.
Per diem means “as needed,” so facilities hire LPNs by the shift in this type of job. With Nursa, you can connect with numerous healthcare facilities and request the jobs you like most. Although the average LPN hourly rate in New Jersey is around $29.80, when you pick up PRN shifts you often earn an hourly rate much higher than average.
In the following list, you will find direct links to per diem jobs in different cities grouped by metropolitan area:
New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area:
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area:
Do you need clarification about how a per diem job works or want to know the pros and cons of this type of job? Click here to learn more about per diem nursing.
