Jetted FoxCareers · Nursing & patient care
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
You give basic nursing care to patients under the direction of registered nurses and doctors. No college degree needed.
Start after 12–18 months of a certificate program
Starting pay ranges from about $18.93/hr in New Mexico to $37.45/hr in Rhode Island.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $19.17–23.15/hr | $27.42/hr |
| Alaska | $30–33.89/hr | $38.85/hr |
| Arizona | $29.35–32.10/hr | $37.05/hr |
| Arkansas | $21.48–23.82/hr | $27.22/hr |
| California | $30.96–35.98/hr | $38.34/hr |
| Colorado | $24.43–29.76/hr | $35.52/hr |
| Connecticut | $30.10–32.05/hr | $35.43/hr |
| Delaware | $28.47–30.97/hr | $33.03/hr |
| Florida | $24.25–28.14/hr | $29.70/hr |
| Georgia | $22.12–25.43/hr | $29.82/hr |
| Hawaii | $28.66–30.03/hr | $34.20/hr |
| Idaho | $23.03–28.04/hr | $30.67/hr |
| Illinois | $28.31–30.57/hr | $36.06/hr |
| Indiana | $24.30–29.35/hr | $31.60/hr |
| Iowa | $24.30–27.12/hr | $30.11/hr |
| Kansas | $23.93–27.05/hr | $29.69/hr |
| Kentucky | $23.28–26.10/hr | $29.07/hr |
| Louisiana | $22.03–23.87/hr | $27.63/hr |
| Maine | $27–30.54/hr | $35.19/hr |
| Maryland | $29.19–31.40/hr | $35.89/hr |
| Massachusetts | $29.66–34.91/hr | $38.57/hr |
| Michigan | $27–29.83/hr | $31.47/hr |
| Minnesota | $24.86–28.83/hr | $30.65/hr |
| Mississippi | $18.91–22.50/hr | $24.14/hr |
| Missouri | $23.36–27.06/hr | $29.58/hr |
| Montana | $23.67–27.95/hr | $29.91/hr |
| Nebraska | $24.47–28.41/hr | $30.13/hr |
| Nevada | $29.69–31.70/hr | $36.62/hr |
| New Hampshire | $28.78–32.53/hr | $37.07/hr |
| New Jersey | $30.39–32.16/hr | $36.13/hr |
| New Mexico | $18.31–18.93/hr | $28.52/hr |
| New York | $26.19–29.52/hr | $32.30/hr |
| North Carolina | $24.27–28.50/hr | $30.42/hr |
| North Dakota | $24.49–28.03/hr | $29.95/hr |
| Ohio | $24.05–27.34/hr | $29.78/hr |
| Oklahoma | $21.85–24.06/hr | $28.04/hr |
| Oregon | $30.77–35.11/hr | $38.69/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $24.76–29.02/hr | $30.74/hr |
| Rhode Island | $31.56–37.45/hr | $38.51/hr |
| South Carolina | $24.22–27.59/hr | $29.72/hr |
| South Dakota | $19.60–23.88/hr | $25.36/hr |
| Tennessee | $19.76–23.64/hr | $28.31/hr |
| Texas | $23.52–27.46/hr | $29.92/hr |
| Utah | $18.02–25.71/hr | $30.40/hr |
| Vermont | $24.15–29.56/hr | $33.62/hr |
| Virginia | $24.32–28.66/hr | $31.21/hr |
| Washington | $30.88–36.98/hr | $39.98/hr |
| Washington, DC | $30.23–30.75/hr | $36.42/hr |
| West Virginia | $21.96–23.71/hr | $26.61/hr |
| Wisconsin | $24.91–28.67/hr | $30.65/hr |
| Wyoming | $22.45–28.27/hr | $30.51/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 18+ · Background check
Practical nurse license (LPN or LVN): required in every state. It lets you practice as an LPN or LVN. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
A normal day
You work in a nursing home, clinic or home health, caring for many patients each shift. You check vital signs, give medicines, change bandages and help with bathing and eating. You chart care and report changes to the RN.
The good parts
Licensed nursing work in about a year. Good pay for the training time. LPN-to-RN bridge programs shorten the next step.
The hard parts
Heavy workloads, especially in nursing homes. Nights, weekends and lifting patients. Hospitals hire fewer LPNs than RNs.
Where it leads
LPNs bridge to RN, become charge nurses in long-term care or move into specialty clinics.
Quick answers
Do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses need a college degree?
No. Start after 12–18 months of a certificate program.
How long is the training for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses?
12–18 month practical nursing certificate, then the state nursing exam.
How much do licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses make?
About $23.91–28.37 an hour to start and $30.96 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Similar careers
Registered nurses · Home health and personal care aides · Nursing assistants
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.