Licensed Vocational Nurse salary
A licensed vocational nurse earns about $62,340 a year — roughly $29.97/hour, with most earning between $53,890 and $71,380. This is a verified national figure from official public wage data.
Licensed Vocational Nurse — U.S. national
Verified public wage dataMedian annual pay
$62,340
Hourly
$29.97/hr
- Typical range
- $53,890–$71,380
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $77,870
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $48,330
- Newer nurses
What affects this pay
- State (LVN title is used in CA and TX)
- Long-term care vs clinic setting
- Experience and certifications
- Shift differentials
About Licensed Vocational Nurses
What they do
Licensed Vocational Nurse is simply the title California and Texas use for what every other state calls an LPN. The day-to-day work is the same: basic bedside care under the direction of RNs and physicians.
How to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse
LVNs complete a state-approved vocational nursing program and pass the NCLEX-PN. In California and Texas the license is issued as an LVN; the credential transfers as an LPN elsewhere.
What drives the pay
Because LVN pay is concentrated in California and Texas, the two state labor markets dominate the national picture. Public wage data counts LVNs alongside LPNs.
Licensed Vocational Nurse pay by state
Where this role tends to pay the most.
| State | Annual pay | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| California | $86,030 | +38% vs national |
| Hawaii | $74,810 | +20% vs national |
| Alaska | $73,560 | +18% vs national |
| Oregon | $73,560 | +18% vs national |
| Washington | $73,560 | +18% vs national |
| Massachusetts | $71,690 | +15% vs national |
| New York | $70,440 | +13% vs national |
| District of Columbia | $69,820 | +12% vs national |
Compare next
Roles nurses weigh against this one.
Source & confidence— A verified figure from official U.S. public wage data.
BLS OEWS (May 2024, national)
National wage figures for SOC 29-2061 are seeded from published BLS OEWS May 2024 national data. Run `npm run import:oews` to replace seed values with figures parsed directly from official OEWS files.
Source year 2024. Last reviewed June 1, 2025. Full methodology