Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Also called: Licensed Practical Nurses
Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.
Also called: Charge Nurse, Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN), Clinic Nurse, Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse (Home Health LPN), Licensed Care Coordinator (LCC), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Median pay
$64,400
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$49,740 – $83,440
People employed
648,410
Holland code
SCR
Social · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 2.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 3.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 4.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 5.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 6.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 7.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 8.Do you want the same hours every week?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Tight deadlines are common
- Long hours on your feet
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary in every state →
What licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses do
- 01Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- 02Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- 03Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
- 04Provide basic patient care or treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
- 05Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
- 06Provide medical treatment or personal care to patients in private home settings, such as cooking, keeping rooms orderly, seeing that patients are comfortable and in good spirits, or instructing family members in simple nursing tasks.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Registered Nurses90% · +51%
- Acute Care Nurses87% · group pay
- Occupational Therapy Assistants85% · +12%
- Critical Care Nurses85% · group pay
- Physical Therapist Assistants84% · +6%
Change into licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Medical Assistants92% · $45,690
- Nursing Assistants91% · $42,260
- Occupational Therapy Aides88% · $39,160
- Occupational Therapy Assistants88% · $72,300
- Critical Care Nurses87% · $97,550
Majors that lead here
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
- Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.