LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse Salary
An LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse’s salary can vary according to experience, choice of facility and locale. Generally, an LPN’s pay range is roughly around $20 an hour. If working as a full time staff member, Licensed Practical Nurses earn around $40,000 annually.
An LPN may get a higher pay in urban areas where populations may be lower. Of course the years of experience can affect an LPN’s salary. A Licensed Practical Nurse with less than a year of experience make a yearly income of $28,000 to $39,000, whereas, an LPN with 20 years of experience can make between $34,000 to $47,000 annually.
Salary can vary significantly by area. A private salary data reports that an LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse working in the state of Tennessee earns a yearly salary of $26,000 to $39,000, while LPNs working in the state of New York have salary ranges between $32,000 and $45,000 per year.
Working for a school district is usually one of the lowest paying salaries for an LPN. An LPN working for this employer only makes a salary range of $17,000 to $20,000 per year. In comparison when employed by a hospital the salary range is $29,000 to $41,000 per year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the highest paying jobs for an LPN are found in home health care. Mainly due to the increase in elderly patients that require in-home-care and outpatient services.
Licensed Practical Nurses can work in the public and private sector with the highest median of pay being a little over $53,000 per year. Even though it is a female dominated field, there is a gender pay gap. The entry level pay for a male LPN is $32,000 while a female LPN’s starting pay is only $20,000 as reported by PayScale.
A large portion of LPNs are generalists with skills that are transferable, which means those skills that are learned can be utilized in another healthcare field.
LPNs must receive licensing from their state board. Most accredited programs are a year- long but those who invest in furthering their education will be paid a higher salary. An LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse with AA Degree in Nursing earns a minimum salary of $30,000 annually and minimum entry level salary with certificate is $32,000 per year.
There will be varying factors that will determine your range of pay in the profession. Determination will be based on salary by industry, location, education and or experience and by state or province. Nearly thirty percent of Licensed Practical Nurses work in a nursing care facility with a salary range of almost $42,000 annually as opposed to general medical facilities where salary is around $39,000 per year.
States that have the highest paid LPNs are New Jersey at $50,000, Connecticut at $52,000, California at $49,000 and New Mexico at $49,000, with some of the lowest paying states being Tennessee at $35,000, North Dakota at $34,000 and Arkansas at $33,000. Metro areas in California: Salinas at $59,000 and San Francisco at $56,000. The 5th highest paid city is Albuquerque, New Mexico at $56,000.
Whatever the pay scale is for this particular profession, it is sure to be a rewarding profession indeed. Becoming an LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse is a reward within itself. It is an excellent career for those who enjoy providing care and assisting others.