Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses offer a sizable national employment base of 651,000 positions, indicating many roles across the country. The national median salary of $62,340 places this career in a solid earnings range for healthcare support roles that require postsecondary training but not a full degree. A projected employment growth rate of 2.6% and 54,000 annual openings suggest a continuing flow of opportunities from both new positions and turnover. This path can appeal to people who want to enter nursing with a shorter educational commitment while still using strong interpersonal, problem solving, and science skills. Top opportunities cluster in several states and metros with higher salaries and notable opportunity scores, giving motivated job seekers multiple geographic options. Overall, this career can fit students, career changers, and working adults who want patient-focused work, steady hiring needs, and a credentials path shorter than many other healthcare occupations.
The national median annual salary for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is $62,340, providing a clear benchmark for earnings in this field. Pay levels vary significantly by state and metro area. For example, Washington reports a median of $83,150 and Massachusetts $80,220, while California offers $79,750. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA stands out at $95,320, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $94,310, both well above the national median. Other high-opportunity metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV show median salaries of $75,910 and $75,860 respectively. These differences underscore how location decisions can strongly influence earning potential. Job seekers can use these figures to balance salary goals with other factors such as cost of living, proximity to family, and lifestyle preferences.
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses have national employment of 651,000, reflecting a large existing workforce. Projected employment growth of 2.6% indicates that the total number of positions is expected to increase over time. In addition, 54,000 annual openings point to ongoing hiring needs, which can come from both newly created roles and the need to replace workers who change jobs or retire. This combination of a sizable employment base, positive growth, and many yearly openings suggests a career with continuing demand. People considering this path can expect that opportunities should arise in different settings and locations, though specific conditions will vary by area. For those already working in related healthcare roles, these metrics can help gauge the relative stability and movement within the occupation compared with other options they might be considering.
Geography plays a major role in opportunity for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. Among states, California leads in employment with 82,850 positions, along with a median salary of $79,750 and an opportunity score of 67.38. Massachusetts and New York also rank highly, with median salaries of $80,220 and $67,180 and opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78 respectively. Colorado and Washington round out the top five states, with Washington offering the highest listed state median salary at $83,150. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA records a median salary of $95,320 and the highest opportunity score of 77.42. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro follows closely with a 77.27 opportunity score and a $75,910 median salary. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also show strong combinations of salary, employment, and opportunity scores, giving candidates multiple attractive regional choices.
This career typically requires a postsecondary nondegree award, making it accessible to individuals who want to enter nursing without completing a full degree program. That educational path is complemented by a broad skill profile. Interpersonal and customer service skills support effective interactions with patients and colleagues. Leadership, adaptability, and physical strength and stamina help with the demands of working in dynamic care environments. Being detail oriented is important for following procedures and handling information accurately. Science, mathematics, and critical and analytical thinking skills contribute to understanding health-related information and making sound judgments. Problem solving and decision making are also central to responding appropriately to situations that arise in care settings. Together, the typical education requirement and these core skills create a pathway that can appeal to students, career changers, and working adults who prefer focused training combined with hands-on, people-centered work.
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