Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed
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.
Median pay: $64,400/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +2.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 54,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• 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.
• Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
• 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.
• Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
• Supervise nurses' aides or assistants.
• Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other healthcare team members as necessary.
• Work as part of a healthcare team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care, and implement interventions.
What's the median pay for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
The median pay for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses is $64,400 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
Employment for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses is projected to change +2.6% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
How many job openings are there each year for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
About 54,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.