Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is $64,400, or $30.96 per hour. About 648,410 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $83,150 in Washington to $50,220 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $83,150 | $39.98 | 6,780 | 0.46 |
| 2 | Alaska | $80,800 | $38.85 | 290 | 0.21 |
| 3 | Oregon | $80,470 | $38.69 | 4,260 | 0.52 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $80,220 | $38.57 | 13,210 | 0.87 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $80,090 | $38.51 | 1,290 | 0.62 |
| 6 | California | $79,750 | $38.34 | 82,850 | 1.09 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $77,110 | $37.07 | 2,220 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Arizona | $77,070 | $37.05 | 6,530 | 0.48 |
| 9 | Nevada | $76,160 | $36.62 | 3,350 | 0.52 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $75,740 | $36.42 | 1,040 | 0.36 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $75,160 | $36.13 | 17,410 | 0.97 |
| 12 | Illinois | $75,000 | $36.06 | 17,440 | 0.69 |
| 13 | Maryland | $74,660 | $35.89 | 9,560 | 0.83 |
| 14 | Colorado | $73,880 | $35.52 | 4,920 | 0.41 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $73,690 | $35.43 | 8,540 | 1.21 |
| 16 | Maine | $73,200 | $35.19 | 760 | 0.28 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $71,140 | $34.20 | 840 | 0.32 |
| 18 | Vermont | $69,930 | $33.62 | 1,130 | 0.89 |
| 19 | Delaware | $68,710 | $33.03 | 2,240 | 1.11 |
| 20 | New York | $67,180 | $32.30 | 39,400 | 0.98 |
| 21 | Indiana | $65,720 | $31.60 | 14,480 | 1.08 |
| 22 | Michigan | $65,460 | $31.47 | 10,880 | 0.59 |
| 23 | Virginia | $64,920 | $31.21 | 15,550 | 0.91 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $63,940 | $30.74 | 38,260 | 1.51 |
| 25 | Idaho | $63,800 | $30.67 | 1,880 | 0.53 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $63,760 | $30.65 | 7,390 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $63,750 | $30.65 | 12,840 | 1.04 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $63,460 | $30.51 | 480 | 0.41 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $63,270 | $30.42 | 18,010 | 0.87 |
| 30 | Utah | $63,230 | $30.40 | 1,680 | 0.23 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $62,660 | $30.13 | 4,580 | 1.07 |
| 32 | Iowa | $62,630 | $30.11 | 5,510 | 0.85 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $62,300 | $29.95 | 1,920 | 1.07 |
| 34 | Texas | $62,240 | $29.92 | 57,560 | 0.98 |
| 35 | Montana | $62,210 | $29.91 | 1,620 | 0.76 |
| 36 | Georgia | $62,030 | $29.82 | 21,060 | 1.03 |
| 37 | Ohio | $61,950 | $29.78 | 39,900 | 1.72 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $61,820 | $29.72 | 9,400 | 0.98 |
| 39 | Florida | $61,770 | $29.70 | 38,620 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Kansas | $61,760 | $29.69 | 7,530 | 1.26 |
| 41 | Missouri | $61,530 | $29.58 | 14,700 | 1.20 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $60,460 | $29.07 | 8,570 | 1.03 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $59,330 | $28.52 | 2,460 | 0.68 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $58,870 | $28.31 | 20,830 | 1.52 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $58,320 | $28.04 | 11,540 | 1.62 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $57,470 | $27.63 | 17,600 | 2.18 |
| 47 | Alabama | $57,030 | $27.42 | 11,580 | 1.31 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $56,620 | $27.22 | 10,010 | 1.84 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $55,360 | $26.61 | 6,050 | 2.07 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $52,750 | $25.36 | 2,050 | 1.08 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $50,220 | $24.14 | 9,850 | 2.03 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make?
The median annual wage for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses in the United States is $64,400, or $30.96 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $49,740, and the top 10% earn $83,440.
How many licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are employed in the U.S.?
About 648,410 people work as licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses nationwide.
Which state pays licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $83,150, followed by Alaska ($80,800) and Oregon ($80,470).
Which state pays licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $50,220.
Where are licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Louisiana at 2.18×.