Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational 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 Vocational Nurse (LVN) · Office Nurse
Median pay (national)
$62,340
$47,960–$80,510 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
632,430
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.6%
~54,400 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $80,510 versus $47,960 at the bottom 10% — 1.7x. The median of $62,340 leaves roughly 29% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.6% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 54,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Washington pays the most for this role (median $79,700, +28% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $24,920 — a 220% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- Collect samples, such as blood, urine, or sputum from patients, and perform routine laboratory tests on samples.
- Provide 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.
- Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
- Record food and fluid intake and output.
- Assemble and use equipment, such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, or oxygen suppliers.
- Prepare or examine food trays for conformance to prescribed diet.
- Help patients with bathing, dressing, maintaining personal hygiene, moving in bed, or standing and walking.
- Apply compresses, ice bags, or hot water bottles.
Tools & technology
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Windows
- Zoom
- Diagnostic and procedural coding software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- FaceTime
- Google Drive
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
- Infusion management software
- Inventory tracking software
- Medical condition coding software
- Medical procedure coding software
- MedicWare EMR
- Microsoft Exchange
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Therapy and Counseling
- Mathematics