How Much Do LPNs Make an Hour? LPN Pay Calculator (2026)
BLS LPN and LVN hourly pay at every level and in every state, shift differentials, overtime and take-home after 2026 tax
By the Monthly Income Booster editorial team · Updated · How we research and fact-check
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How Much Do LPNs Make an Hour? LPN Pay Calculator (2026)
Printed 2026-10-27 from billorganizingapp.com/income/calculators/lpn-hourly-pay/ — an estimate for planning, not financial or tax advice.
United States licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses: median $30.96/hr, 10th–90th percentile $23.91–$40.12 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Your rate is in the between the median and the 75th percentile.
Estimate for 2026: federal income tax (standard deduction), Social Security and Medicare, a flat state rate you enter, and the overtime deduction on the half-time premium when your overtime is legally required. No credits or itemised deductions. Starting wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, which excludes overtime and shift differentials.
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Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earned a median of $30.96 an hour in May 2025 — $64,400 a year full time — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which counted 648,410 LPNs and LVNs. The bottom tenth earned under $23.91 and the top tenth over $40.12. Overtime and the night and weekend differentials many LPNs earn are not included.
LPNs: pay at every level
This is the BLS line for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (SOC 29-2061) on employers' payrolls. Registered nurses and nursing assistants each have their own line and calculator on this site. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23.91 | $49,740 | $4,145 | $42,146 |
| 25th percentile | $28.37 | $59,000 | $4,917 | $49,587 |
| Median | $30.96 | $64,400 | $5,367 | $53,925 |
| 75th percentile | $36.55 | $76,030 | $6,336 | $62,317 |
| 90th percentile | $40.12 | $83,440 | $6,953 | $67,530 |
LPN pay by state
Washington pays LPNs the most at $39.98 an hour, then Alaska ($38.85) and Oregon ($38.69); Mississippi pays least at $24.14. California, where the job is called LVN, employs the most, 82,850, at $38.34; Texas, also LVN, has 57,560 at $29.92.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $39.98 | $83,150 | 6,780 |
| Alaska | $38.85 | $80,800 | 290 |
| Oregon | $38.69 | $80,470 | 4,260 |
| Massachusetts | $38.57 | $80,220 | 13,210 |
| Rhode Island | $38.51 | $80,090 | 1,290 |
| California | $38.34 | $79,750 | 82,850 |
| New Hampshire | $37.07 | $77,110 | 2,220 |
| Arizona | $37.05 | $77,070 | 6,530 |
| Nevada | $36.62 | $76,160 | 3,350 |
| District of Columbia | $36.42 | $75,740 | 1,040 |
| New Jersey | $36.13 | $75,160 | 17,410 |
| Illinois | $36.06 | $75,000 | 17,440 |
| Maryland | $35.89 | $74,660 | 9,560 |
| Colorado | $35.52 | $73,880 | 4,920 |
| Connecticut | $35.43 | $73,690 | 8,540 |
| Maine | $35.19 | $73,200 | 760 |
| Hawaii | $34.20 | $71,140 | 840 |
| Vermont | $33.62 | $69,930 | 1,130 |
| Delaware | $33.03 | $68,710 | 2,240 |
| New York | $32.30 | $67,180 | 39,400 |
| Indiana | $31.60 | $65,720 | 14,480 |
| Michigan | $31.47 | $65,460 | 10,880 |
| Virginia | $31.21 | $64,920 | 15,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $30.74 | $63,940 | 38,260 |
| Idaho | $30.67 | $63,800 | 1,880 |
| Minnesota | $30.65 | $63,750 | 12,840 |
| Wisconsin | $30.65 | $63,760 | 7,390 |
| Wyoming | $30.51 | $63,460 | 480 |
| North Carolina | $30.42 | $63,270 | 18,010 |
| Utah | $30.40 | $63,230 | 1,680 |
| Nebraska | $30.13 | $62,660 | 4,580 |
| Iowa | $30.11 | $62,630 | 5,510 |
| North Dakota | $29.95 | $62,300 | 1,920 |
| Texas | $29.92 | $62,240 | 57,560 |
| Montana | $29.91 | $62,210 | 1,620 |
| Georgia | $29.82 | $62,030 | 21,060 |
| Ohio | $29.78 | $61,950 | 39,900 |
| South Carolina | $29.72 | $61,820 | 9,400 |
| Florida | $29.70 | $61,770 | 38,620 |
| Kansas | $29.69 | $61,760 | 7,530 |
| Missouri | $29.58 | $61,530 | 14,700 |
| Kentucky | $29.07 | $60,460 | 8,570 |
| New Mexico | $28.52 | $59,330 | 2,460 |
| Tennessee | $28.31 | $58,870 | 20,830 |
| Oklahoma | $28.04 | $58,320 | 11,540 |
| Louisiana | $27.63 | $57,470 | 17,600 |
| Alabama | $27.42 | $57,030 | 11,580 |
| Arkansas | $27.22 | $56,620 | 10,010 |
| West Virginia | $26.61 | $55,360 | 6,050 |
| South Dakota | $25.36 | $52,750 | 2,050 |
| Mississippi | $24.14 | $50,220 | 9,850 |
Which employers pay LPNs most
Government facilities pay LPNs the most ($68,970), just ahead of nursing and residential care ($68,020), which employs 37% of them. Home health pays $63,580, hospitals $61,160 and physicians' offices $59,520 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | $68,970 |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | $68,020 |
| Home healthcare services | $63,580 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $61,160 |
| Offices of physicians | $59,520 |
A LPN's schedule
Most LPNs and LVNs work full time. Because care happens at all hours, some work nights, weekends and holidays, and shifts can run longer than 8 hours. Nursing and residential care facilities employ 37% of them, hospitals 16%, home health 12% and physicians' offices 11%; home health LPNs travel to patients' homes (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
Overtime for LPNs
LPNs are generally owed overtime: the learned-professional exemption doesn't cover them, because an advanced academic degree isn't a standard requirement for the job (29 CFR 541.301). Hospitals and residential care facilities may use the 8-and-80 system by agreement — time and a half after 8 hours in a day and 80 in 14 days — instead of the 40-hour week (DOL Fact Sheet #54). Shift differentials come on top of BLS's figures.
What a shift differential adds at the median
BLS's wage figures leave out shift differentials. The table adds a night or weekend differential to the median $30.96 an hour for 12 hours a week (one 12-hour shift) over 52 weeks. Differentials vary by employer and contract; these amounts are examples to show the arithmetic, not typical rates.
| Differential | Extra a year | Average hourly over 40 hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| $1.00/hour | $624 | $31.26 |
| $2.00/hour | $1,248 | $31.56 |
| $3.00/hour | $1,872 | $31.86 |
| $5.00/hour | $3,120 | $32.46 |
Training, licenses and pay
LPNs and LVNs complete a state-approved practical nursing program, usually about a year at a community college or technical school, then pass the licensing exam. The title depends on the state — Texas and California say LVN — but the work is nearly identical. Optional certifications cover areas such as gerontology, wound care and IV therapy, and many go on to an LPN-to-RN program (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
Related tools and guides
More ways to work with your LPN pay:
Official sources
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS May 2025: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (29-2061) wage estimates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #54: The health care industry and calculating overtime pay
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS FAQ: how wages are defined (overtime and shift differentials excluded)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do LPNs make an hour?+
$30.96 an hour ($64,400 a year) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $28.37 to $36.55 an hour.
Which state pays LPNs the most?+
Washington ($39.98 an hour, $83,150 a year), then Alaska and Oregon; Mississippi pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
Do LPNs get overtime?+
Yes, generally. Federal rules say LPNs don't qualify for the learned-professional exemption (29 CFR 541.301), so they're owed time and a half after 40 hours, or after 8 in a day and 80 in two weeks where a hospital or care facility uses the 8-and-80 system (DOL Fact Sheet #54).
Is an LVN paid the same as an LPN?+
They're the same BLS occupation: the title depends on the state. California and Texas, which say LVN, are both in the state table here.
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