LPN or LVN: same job, different state title
Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses are counted as one occupation, 29-2061. Their responsibilities are nearly identical; the title depends on the state, with California and Texas using LVN. The figures on this page, including the median wage of $64,400 and the 666,900 jobs, cover both. Job titles such as charge nurse, clinic LPN, home health LPN, office nurse, private duty nurse and triage LPN give a sense of how varied the job is.
What an LPN may do also depends on the state. In some states, LPNs with proper training give medication or start IV drips; states also decide how closely LPNs must be supervised, and some let experienced LPNs oversee other LPNs or unlicensed staff. Before choosing a program, check your state board of nursing's scope of practice rules.
Nursing homes, hospitals, home health and clinics
Nursing and residential care facilities employ 37% of LPNs, and this is where the job carries the most responsibility. A long-term care LPN often works as the charge nurse for a unit, runs the medication passes, does treatments and wound care, and directs nursing assistants. In nursing and residential care facilities, LPNs may also feed patients who need help eating.
Hospitals employ 16%. Hospital LPNs typically work under closer RN supervision and may collect samples for testing and do routine laboratory tests. Home healthcare services employ 12%; home health LPNs travel to patients' homes and may reinforce the RN's instructions on how family members should care for a relative. Offices of physicians employ 11%, with clinic schedules, vital signs, injections and phone calls with patients. Government employs 6%.
Where the jobs and the pay are
California has the most jobs, 82,850, with a median of $79,750. Texas follows with 57,560 jobs at $62,240, then Ohio with 39,900 at $61,950, New York with 39,400 at $67,180 and Florida with 38,620 at $61,770. Ohio is the most concentrated of the large states, with a location quotient of 1.72. The highest medians are in Washington ($83,150), Alaska ($80,800) and Oregon ($80,470).
Nationally, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,740 and the top 10% more than $83,440; the middle half earned between $59,000 and $76,030. Pay by years of experience is not published. Compared with related jobs, LPNs earn well above nursing assistants and orderlies ($41,870) and medical assistants ($45,690), but well below registered nurses ($97,550).
Getting licensed and hired
The path is short and fixed: complete a state-approved practical nursing program, typically about a year at a community college or technical school, then pass the NCLEX-PN. Programs include nursing fundamentals, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology and supervised clinical experience. If your state is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, a multistate license makes it easier to work across state lines, including on travel assignments.
Employers look for an active license, CPR or basic life support certification, which some require, and comfort with electronic health records such as Epic, MEDITECH or eClinicalWorks. In long-term care, experience with medication passes and supervising aides helps; in clinics, speed and accuracy with vital signs, injections and phone calls matter more. Optional certifications in areas such as IV therapy, wound care, gerontology or long-term care show advanced knowledge and can widen the jobs you qualify for.
The honest downsides
LPNs and LVNs have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, from overexertion, exposure to disease and harmful substances, and needle sticks. Care happens at all hours, so many jobs include nights, weekends, holidays and shifts longer than 8 hours. In nursing homes, the charge nurse role can mean responsibility for many residents at once.
Growth is modest. Employment is projected to grow 3% over the next decade, with about 51,800 openings a year, driven by an aging population and more chronic conditions such as diabetes. Demand is strongest in residential care and home health; hospital roles are a smaller share. Some LPNs treat the license as a stepping stone and complete an LPN-to-RN program.