The short version. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 2024 median annual wages for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (SOC 29-2061) around $59,000 (~$28/hr), with the middle 50% earning $50,000–$70,000. Where you actually land is decided by setting and state: long-term care and outpatient MD offices sit at the median; correctional facilities, home health, and the shrinking pool of hospital LPN roles pay above; rural southern LTC pays below. Shift and weekend differentials can add $8,000–$18,000 to annual take-home. Agency and travel LPNs run $38–$55/hr. The single largest lever remains the LPN-to-RN bridge — RN median pay is 30–45% higher and opens hospital specialty tracks. All figures below are estimates, not offers.
The realistic LPN salary range
LPN pay is priced by state Medicaid rates, hospital nursing budgets, and long-term care reimbursement. BLS OES data for SOC 29-2061 reports a 2024 median hourly wage of ~$28/hr — about $59,000 annualized at 2,080 hours — and a middle 50% band of $24–$34/hr. Real annual take-home is heavily shaped by overtime availability, shift differentials, and whether you carry weekend rotations.
National median (BLS)~$59,000US, 2024 · $28/hr · BLS OES 29-2061
Typical range$50K–$70KMiddle 50%, base only
Top decile$80K+High-cost state, hospital or correctional
Pay by setting
| Setting | Estimated hourly range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled nursing facility (LTC) | $26–$32/hr | Largest employer of LPNs; heavy weekend and evening rotation; sign-on bonuses common. |
| Assisted living | $23–$29/hr | Lighter acuity; more predictable schedules. |
| Outpatient MD office / clinic | $23–$28/hr | Bankers' hours, no differentials; typically the lowest LPN band but the highest quality of life. |
| Home health & hospice | $28–$36/hr | Mileage reimbursed; per-visit models can outperform hourly. |
| Correctional facility (state / federal) | $30–$38/hr | Structured hazard pay, benefits, and pension eligibility at state facilities. |
| Hospital (where LPNs still hired) | $28–$36/hr | Union differentials and benefits; increasingly rare as hospitals go all-RN. |
| School / occupational health | $24–$30/hr | School-year calendar; summers off; often follow teacher pay schedule. |
| Agency / staffing | $32–$44/hr | No benefits; higher hourly, less schedule certainty. |
| Travel LPN | $38–$55/hr (blended) | Housing stipend, per-diem; typically 13-week contracts. |
Pay by state
| State | Estimated median hourly | Estimated annualized |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ~$36/hr | ~$75,000 |
| California | ~$35/hr | ~$73,000 |
| Massachusetts | ~$33/hr | ~$68,000 |
| Washington | ~$33/hr | ~$68,000 |
| Rhode Island | ~$32/hr | ~$66,000 |
| New Jersey | ~$31/hr | ~$65,000 |
| New York | ~$30/hr | ~$62,000 |
| Texas | ~$27/hr | ~$56,000 |
| Florida | ~$25/hr | ~$52,000 |
| Alabama / Mississippi / West Virginia | ~$22–$24/hr | ~$46,000–$50,000 |
Shift and weekend differentials
Base pay is only part of the picture. Nearly all inpatient and correctional LPN roles pay shift and weekend differentials that materially move take-home:
- Evening (2p–10p / 3p–11p). $2–$4/hr differential.
- Night (10p–6a / 11p–7a). $3–$6/hr differential.
- Weekend. $2–$5/hr flat weekend differential; some union contracts pay time-and-a-half.
- On-call. $3–$8/hr on-call plus call-back pay at time-and-a-half when triggered.
- Overtime. Federal FLSA time-and-a-half over 40 hours applies; some state contracts require overtime after 8-hour or 12-hour daily thresholds.
Stacked, evening + weekend + occasional overtime can add $8,000–$18,000 to base — a 15–30% total-comp lift for LPNs who can carry the schedule.
Agency and travel LPN math
Agency LPN work runs $32–$44/hr with no benefits — you pay your own health insurance and self-fund retirement, so the hourly-rate advantage narrows once you model total comp. Travel LPN contracts (13-week assignments, often at critical-need facilities) run a blended $38–$55/hr including a tax-free housing stipend and per-diem. On paper, travel is the highest-earning LPN path; in practice, the taxable base rate is often lower than staff pay, and the stipend structure requires maintaining a legitimate tax home. Run the after-tax numbers before jumping.
The LPN-to-RN economics
The single largest lever in nursing compensation is the bridge from LPN to RN. BLS reports RN median annual wages around $86,000–$95,000, meaningfully above LPN, and hospitals hire RNs into specialties (ICU, ER, L&D, OR) that are closed to LPNs. Most hospital-employed LPNs qualify for tuition reimbursement of $3,000–$6,000/year toward an LPN-to-RN bridge program, and many state and community colleges offer 12–18 month online bridge tracks.
The math: two years of bridge school with tuition reimbursement, then a 30–45% pay jump on the same shift with the same employer. For LPNs under 45 with 10+ working years ahead, the bridge is the clearest financial lever available.
How to raise your LPN wage
- Move to a higher-paying setting. Correctional and home health commonly pay $4–$8/hr more than LTC or clinic.
- Add IV therapy and wound-care certifications. Directly billable; employer-paid in most systems.
- Take the shift/weekend rotation. The differential stack is real money.
- Consider agency or travel LPN work. Higher hourly if you can carry the risk.
- Bridge to RN. The largest single-lifetime lever.
- Negotiate every offer. Sign-on bonuses ($3,000–$8,000) and relocation are commonly negotiable at LTC and hospital systems in tight markets.
Line up a stronger offer with a strategist
Marqee's healthcare strategists help LPNs target correctional, home-health, and hospital roles with sign-on bonuses and shift differentials that meaningfully move take-home.
See how Marqee works →Job outlook
BLS projects LPN employment to grow roughly on pace with the average for all occupations, with substantial annual openings driven by the aging US population and demand at skilled nursing facilities. Hospital demand for LPNs has been declining as inpatient care goes all-RN, but that shift is offset by continued growth in home health, hospice, and outpatient care.
FAQ
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports median annual wages for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses around $59,000 (~$28/hr) in recent OES data, with the middle 50% earning roughly $50,000-$70,000.
New graduate LPNs typically earn an estimated $22-$27 per hour, or $46,000-$56,000 annualized before differentials.
BLS OES data consistently places Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Washington, and Rhode Island at the top for LPN pay, with medians roughly 15-30% above the national number.
Yes at hospitals, LTC, and correctional facilities. Evening shift differentials commonly run $2-$4/hr, night shift $3-$6/hr, weekend $2-$5/hr.
Financially, almost always yes. RNs typically earn 30-45% more than LPNs at the same setting, and RN roles have broader hospital and specialty options.
Move to a higher-paying setting (correctional, home health, hospital where LPNs are still hired). Add certifications employers pay for: IV therapy, wound care, gerontology, or hospice.