The average salary for a licensed practical nurse in the United States is around $64,400 per year.
Avg Salary
Licensed practical nurses earn an average yearly salary of $64,400.
Wages typically start from $49,740 and go up to $83,440.
4% below national average Updated in 2025
Licensed practical nurse earnings by seniority
Top-level licensed practical nurse earnings begin at:
$40.12 per hour
$83,440 per year
Senior-level licensed practical nurse earnings begin at:
$36.55 per hour
$76,030 per year
Mid-level licensed practical nurse earnings begin at:
$30.96 per hour
$64,400 per year
Junior-level licensed practical nurse earnings begin at:
$28.37 per hour
$59,000 per year
Starting level licensed practical nurse earnings begin at:
$23.91 per hour
$49,740 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Licensed practical nurse salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $83,150 |
| Alaska | $80,800 |
| Oregon | $80,470 |
| Massachusetts | $80,220 |
| Rhode Island | $80,090 |
| California | $79,750 |
| New Hampshire | $77,110 |
| Arizona | $77,070 |
| Nevada | $76,160 |
| District of Columbia | $75,740 |
| New Jersey | $75,160 |
| Illinois | $75,000 |
| Maryland | $74,660 |
| Colorado | $73,880 |
| Connecticut | $73,690 |
| Maine | $73,200 |
| Hawaii | $71,140 |
| Vermont | $69,930 |
| Delaware | $68,710 |
| New York | $67,180 |
| Indiana | $65,720 |
| Michigan | $65,460 |
| Virginia | $64,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,940 |
| Idaho | $63,800 |
| Wisconsin | $63,760 |
| Minnesota | $63,750 |
| Wyoming | $63,460 |
| North Carolina | $63,270 |
| Utah | $63,230 |
| Nebraska | $62,660 |
| Iowa | $62,630 |
| North Dakota | $62,300 |
| Texas | $62,240 |
| Montana | $62,210 |
| Georgia | $62,030 |
| Ohio | $61,950 |
| South Carolina | $61,820 |
| Florida | $61,770 |
| Kansas | $61,760 |
| Missouri | $61,530 |
| Kentucky | $60,460 |
| New Mexico | $59,330 |
| Tennessee | $58,870 |
| Oklahoma | $58,320 |
| Louisiana | $57,470 |
| Alabama | $57,030 |
| Arkansas | $56,620 |
| West Virginia | $55,360 |
| South Dakota | $52,750 |
| Mississippi | $50,220 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $47,590 |
| Guam | $34,470 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,500 |
How do licensed practical nurse salaries compare to similar careers?
Licensed practical nurses earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than health educators but more than exercise physiologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Health educator salary | $64K |
| Healthcare social worker salary | $68K |
| Occupational therapist assistant salary | $72K |
| Physical therapist assistant salary | $68K |
| Surgical technologist salary | $65K |
| Licensed practical nurse salary | $64K |
| Hearing aid specialist salary | $65K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $59K |
| Paramedic salary | $61K |
| Exercise physiologist salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)